La Trahison
by InYourNightmares
Summary: Rochelle Vittori is the perfect pampered, pureblood daughter. Or, that's what everyone thinks. Struggling between her Muggle-hating family and her own secret beliefs, she never expected that the blood traitor Sirius Black would be the one to see right through her. But can he give her the strength to break away, or is her family loyalty too strong? Sirius/OC. Marauder Era till OotP.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N – Here we go! My first HP fanfic! This is entirely Sirius/OC, though it may involve bits of James/Lily. I intend to split the entire story into three main parts. Part I takes place during the Marauders time in Hogwarts, Part II during the First Wizarding War, and Part III during OoTP.**

**Enjoy! And please review!**

**Chapter 1 **

Rochelle Vittori frowned, twirling her quill absent-mindedly between her fingers. Her blue-grey eyes were fixed on the parchment in front of her. An unintended flick of the quill resulted in a drop of ink landing on her face, which she quickly wiped away. Letting out a sigh, she glanced up from the parchment and looked around her.

The Slytherin Common room was quiet. Unlike Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, which usually had noisy and bustling common rooms, Slytherins weren't loud and rambunctious. Jokes and humor were very rarely entertained in the house. Most of the conversations revolved around whose parents had more money, and whose blood was purer.

"Rochelle. I've been looking for you," a voice said calmly. Rochelle looked up, and saw a tall boy with shoulder-length white blonde hair. His piercing blue eyes resembled her own, and he sat down in the couch beside her without invitation. "What are you doing?"

"Potions," Rochelle replied. "Our essay is due tomorrow. I don't suppose you've done it?"

Lucius Malfoy gave her an incredulous look. "Forget Potions. I want to talk to you about something. I received a letter from Father this afternoon."

"Oh?" Rochelle put down her quill and turned to face Malfoy. Lucius's father wasn't the sort of person who wrote to his son out of concern for his well-being. There must be some other reason. "What did Uncle Abraxas say?"

Lucius frowned. "Not much. He was rather curt. It seems he and Mother have been considering a betrothal for me. I _am_ turning seventeen soon."

Rochelle was not surprised. Most of the pureblood students of Lucius's age were already betrothed. With the increasing number of blood traitors in the recent times, finding a pureblood spouse was rather difficult. Most parents wished to be assured that their children would marry well. "I see. Have they found anyone specific, or are they still looking?"

"It seems that they're most likely deciding on Narcissa Black. The Blacks are one of the oldest pureblood families left, now. Of course, their reputation did go down a tad because of that blood traitor… what was his name again? Walburga Black's son?"

"Sirius Black," Rochelle replied. Of course. That scandal had yet to die down completely. Sirius Black had run away from home, leaving his family in a rather disreputable state. It had been all hushed up, of course, but rumors were that Walburga Black had blasted him off the family tree in a fit of anger. Rochelle's own parents had been rather disappointed. He'd been the right age for her, but _that_ was no longer possible.

"Hm. Yes. Muggle-loving filth. Anyway, Mother and Father think that Narcissa is nothing like her disgusting cousin. But I can't be certain. It's best not to associate ourselves with scandalous families."

Rochelle bit her lip, thinking. She had seen Narcissa Black before, and there was nothing particularly scandalous about the girl. She was pretty, and seemed rather docile, if anything. "She's in the year below me," Rochelle told Lucius. "But I'm afraid I've never spoken to her."

"Well, could you ask around, then? I'll approach her myself, of course, but I'd like to see what sort of a reputation she has among the other Slytherins before I reply to Father."

Rochelle nodded reluctantly. Despite being from one of the oldest pureblood families, she'd never managed to make many friends among the Slytherin girls. Her family had a flawless reputation that surpassed most pureblood families, such as the Lestranges and the Crabbes. Many girls resented her for that. There were a few she got along with, but none she could call close friends.

"I'll try, Lucius," she assured her cousin. Glancing at a large clock on the wall, she slowly got to her feet. "Is that all? I have Prefect duties, which I need to be getting to."

Lucius shook his head, motioning for her to sit back down. "I'm not done yet. Father mentioned something else in the letter, concerning you."

She frowned. "Me?"

"Yes. Apparently he's been speaking to your mother about your prospects. They had their sights set on that Black boy for you, but after his disgusting behavior, he's no longer an option,"

Rochelle shifted uncomfortably in her seat, while Lucius continued,

"He has a brother, of course, but Regulus Black is far too young for you. They're in a rather tight spot about what to do. You'll be graduating next year, and it may create gossip if you're not betrothed by the time you're eighteen. They've asked me, therefore, to keep an eye out at school in case any boy from a respectable family shows an interest in you."

"Lucius, really, it's far too soon to be considering something like-"

"_Listen _to me. They've asked me to take responsibility, and I shall. Now be honest with me, Rochelle, have you courted any boys from our house? Or has anyone ever approached you?"

Rochelle flushed red. "No."

Lucius nodded. "Hm. Well, all right. Perhaps you should start making an effort. Do you know Frederick Nott? He's a rather quiet boy, but I think you'll like him. Shall I speak to him for you?"

Rochelle was horrified. "_No!_ Lucius, really, please don't speak to anyone. I'll… I'll manage myself."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Are you certain, Rochelle? You don't speak very much to people. To be honest, you come off as rather shy."

"I'll be fine," Rochelle assured him firmly. "Could we discuss this afterwards? I'm late for my prefect duties."

"All right. Go on, then."

Relieved, Rochelle quickly gathered her books into her arms, and rushed out of the Slytherin Common Room.

After making a number of turns through various corridors, Rochelle finally reached the Hogwarts Trophy Room, where is was her turn to supervise detentions. Glancing at the time, and relieved that she wasn't very late after all, she adjusted her Prefect badge and walked in.

"Elle! There you are, I wondered what took you so long," Lily Evans greeted cheerfully. Rochelle smiled back at her. Her long, fiery red hair was flowing freely around her shoulders, and her green eyes sparkled. Lily had a bold presence that was hard to miss. "The second years aren't here yet. I've a right mind to give them another detention for being late."

"I'm sure they got lost," Rochelle replied. "I almost forgot the way myself. Are all the cleaning materials set out?"

"Oh yes. There's not much for us to do- we just need to keep an eye on them and ensure they don't use magic," replied Lily. She shot Rochelle a searching look, and then frowned. "Are you all right, Elle?"

"Of course. Just a little flustered. Lucius wanted to speak to me, and I was held up," Rochelle said quickly. "I was afraid I would be late."

Lily nodded. "Well, I have something to make you feel better. I brought that novel that we were talking about the other day. _Pride and Prejudice_, do you remember? The one you wanted to read."

Rochelle's eyes widened in surprise, as she reached for the tattered novel that Lily held out. "Thank you! Are you certain that you don't mind me borrowing it?"

"Of course not! I've seen your books, you keep them in perfect condition. As a matter of fact, I was surprised that you would want to read it in the first place."

Rochelle nodded, taking the book silently. Although Lily hadn't been very blunt, Rochelle understood the hidden meaning behind her words. It was a Muggle book, and she was a pureblood. Despite being good friends, there was always an invisible barrier between the two girls. They were from different houses, and shouldn't get along. But they did, and Rochelle couldn't explain it. All she knew was that despite being a Muggle-born, Lily Evans was easier to get along with than any of the other pureblood girls.

"Here they are," Lily said, as two gloomy second years entered the Trophy room to serve their detentions. "Where have you lot been? I've a right mind to report you to your Head of House for being late to detention! Get to work immediately!"

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Sirius Black frowned at the bubbling cauldron in front of him.

"I hate Potions. I can't believe you convinced me to take this class for NEWTS."

James Potter smiled at his best friend, while cheerfully chopping up a handful of ugly roots. He added them to their cauldron with a flourish, which hissed. "Don't be so down, Padfoot! Potions is a wonderful subject! You'll thank me later, when you become a successful Auror."

"Bullshit. The only reason _you_ took this class is because Lily Evans is in it." Sirius nodded towards a red-head sitting a few rows away, concentrating intently on her own Potion. It was fortunate how their seats were positioned to have a perfect view of her. 'I'm telling you, mate, she hates you."

James shook his head. "She's warming up to me, Padfoot, trust me. Do you know, she called me 'James' instead of 'Potter' the other day? She'll be mine, soon enough."

"Hmph. Well, it's fine for you. I unfortunately, don't see any other pretty girls in this class. They're all in Divination. I should have taken that instead," mused Sirius. James raised an eyebrow.

"You wouldn't have survived a day in there. And of _course_ there are pretty girls in this class! Take, um… Tanya Davis. She's fit."

"I dated her already. Last year, remember? Didn't turn out too well."

James frowned. There really _was_ a lack of pretty girls in the class. Other than Lily and Tanya, the only girl that was worth looking at was Rochelle Vittori. But of course, she was a Slytherin, so she didn't count. But that didn't stop James from opening his mouth. Sirius, however, interrupted him.

"If you suggest Vittori, I'll smack you. She's a _Slytherin._"

James shrugged. "But she's decent-looking, worth a shot. She'd be quite pretty, actually, if it weren't for her eyes. They look too much like Malfoy's."

Sirius shook his head. "That's honestly not the problem. I was almost _betrothed _to her once, when we were younger. That was before they decided I was a blood traitor, though. My dearest mother thought she's be the perfect daughter-in-law. Pretty, silent, _obedient_."

James made a face. "Eugh. Glad you got out of that, eh?"

"You have no idea."

The bell rang for the end of class, and James hurried to quickly pour his unfinished potion into a vial. They hadn't had enough time to finish it, but a quick glance at Lily Evans's perfect potion told him that they'd clearly gone wrong, somewhere. While James went up to Slughorn's desk to submit the vial, Sirius leaned back casually in his seat and watched Rochelle Vittori.

They'd met when they were very young, before Hogwarts. Sirius didn't remember much, just a small girl with big blue-grey eyes and a dark braid that reached halfway down her back. She'd always been quiet, and the few days that she spent at his house with her family consisted of her following Lucius Malfoy around like a puppy. He admitted to himself that he'd never really disliked _her; _it was just that she was always with her pompous cousin.

As they grew up, both of them realized that there was no chance of ever being friends. Sirius had spoken to her once or twice in their first year, simply because she was a familiar face among many unknown people. But after that, neither had even glanced at the other. They were different people, leading different lives, connected only by the fact that their parents wanted to get them hitched someday. Sirius felt bile rising in his throat at the thought of being married to some obedient, submissive pureblood girl.

"Oi, Sirius! Come on, I don't want to miss lunch!" James yelled at him. Sirius nodded, quickly gathering his things and rushing out of the Potions classroom with his friend.

When the two boys reached the Great Hall, they found the other Marauders already stuffing their faces at the Gryffindor table. Well, Peter was stuffing his face. Remus was attempting to eat while reading a large textbook propped up in front of his plate.

"Oi, Moony! Stop being such a bookworm. Can't you study later?" James demanded. He tried to grab the book from him, but Remus swatted his hand away and took it back simply.

"No, I can't. I've got a Transfiguration test next class."

Sirius shrugged, as Remus quickly finished his lunch and announced that he was going to the library. James and Sirius sat down with Peter, filling their plates eagerly. They'd barely begun to eat, when a girl appeared beside their seats, hands on her hips.

"Potter. You've got a bit of explaining to do."

James's smile widened, and he whirled around to face Lily Evans. Her fiery red hair was tied back, and she had her eyes narrowed at him.

"Evans! What a pleasant surprise!" James greeted. "Have you changed your mind about that Hogsmeade trip, then? I knew you would!"

Lily glared at him. "No, I _haven't_ changed my mind. I'm here because I was at a Prefect meeting this morning, and one of the prefects says you've been bullying Severus again."

Sirius and James exchanged an innocent look.

"Snivellus? No, haven't been near him lately. Who would tell you that?"

"Me."

The voice that responded belonged to Rochelle Vittori. Both Sirius and James jumped, suddenly noticing her. She'd been standing there the entire time, but she was overshadowed by Lily Evans' bold presence.

"Vittori," Sirius greeted, casually. "So you're the Slytherin prefect, are you? Congratulations."

"I've been a Prefect for over a year and a half, Black. I'd say your congratulations are a little overdue."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "All right. Then let's talk about these little accusations you're making. It appears you misunderstood the situation. You see, dear Snivellus and we were-"

"I misunderstood _nothing_, Black," Rochelle replied firmly. Her blue-grey eyes were staring straight at him, cold and piercing. "You and your friends were torturing Severus Snape. The only reason I didn't interfere myself at the time was because you already had a Prefect with you. Remus Lupin should have stopped your behavior himself."

Sirius looked a little startled at her coldness. James merely gave Lily a disbelieving look.

"Really, Evans? You've started believing Slytherins over us, now? That's a rather low blow."

"Elle is more trustworthy that you vile creatures," Lily snapped. "You are incorrigible, James Potter. You disgust me. And you can be certain I'll report this to Professor Dumbledore."

With that, Lily Evans whirled around and stomped away. Rochelle paused for a few moments, shooting Sirius a long, searching look. Then she walked away towards the Slytherin table.

"Do you suppose we'll get detention, then?" Peter asked gloomily, once she was gone. James shrugged, picking at his food with a scowl on his face.

"Since when have Vittori and Evans been friends?" James demanded. "Rather unexpected, that, isn't it?"

Sirius shrugged. "Don't know, Prongs. They're rather similar, I suppose. Uptight and crazy about rules, both of them. I'm not surprised that they get along."

James frowned. "I don't like it."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

Rochelle flipped a page, nose buried in the novel that Lily had lent her. She'd had to read it a few times, mainly because she didn't understand the Muggle customs and behavior. But she found that the main concept was quite familiar to her. _Pride and Prejudice_ was about a mother who was desperate to get her daughters married off, something that Rochelle quite understood.

She glanced up from the book once as she turned the corridor. Lucius had been trying to talk to her all day, and she'd been rather successful in avoiding him. Rochelle was terrified he would suddenly announce that he'd found her a match. To ensure that he couldn't find her, she'd even volunteered to take up extra Prefect duties, patrolling the corridor at night. It was one of the few duties she enjoyed doing. Hogwarts was a much quieter and peaceful place at night.

As she turned the deserted corridor, she paused for a second, certain that she'd heard voices. Closing her book and pulling out her wand, she quickly hurried towards the source of the noise.

"Filthy little blood traitor!" a familiar voice was screeching. Rochelle closed her eyes for a second in exasperation, before quickly marching down the corridor where the noises were coming from. As expected, she saw Bellatrix with her wand held out, facing a rather angry-looking Sirius Black.

"What's going on, here?" Rochelle demanded, quickly stepping in between the two. Despite usually being rather soft-spoken and understanding, there was something about Bellatrix Black that irritated Rochelle. "Put your wand down, Bellatrix."

Bellatrix glared, messy black hair flying around her face. "Just get out of my way, Rochelle, this won't take more than a minute. This little traitor deserves what he's going to get for shaming our family!"

Rochelle pursed her lips together, holding back a groan. She glanced at Sirius, noting that he looked more amused than scared at the sight of Bellatrix. "I can't let you do that, Bellatrix. You shouldn't be out in the corridors at this hour, either of you. I suggest you return to your dormitories immediately."

Bellatrix frowned. "So you're going to take the blood traitor's side, Vittori? I expected more from you."

"I'm not taking any sides, _Black_," Rochelle spit out at her. "But if you go back to your dormitory now, then I'll consider not giving you detention for the rest of the school year."

There was a long pause as the two girls glared at each other. It was Bellatrix who finally relented, putting her wand away, and giving Sirius a dark look. "You're lucky. Next time, you won't have a Prefect around to save you."

"I'll be waiting, _cousin_," Sirius replied, smiling widely as Bellatrix swept away. Once she was gone, he turned to look at Rochelle. She was putting her wand away as well. "Who knew, eh? My knight in shining armor."

Rochelle rolled her eyes. She didn't have the patience to deal with Sirius Black. "Get back to your dormitory, or you'll get detention."

"Ah, but you've already _given_ me detention. Remember, you told Evans about us having fun with Snivellus? Looks like you're out to get me in trouble, Vittori."

Rochelle felt her temper rising. Quickly biting the inside of her cheek, she forced herself to cool down and give Sirius a steely glare. She wouldn't let him get the better of her. "In case you hadn't noticed, Bellatrix would have cursed you if I hadn't stepped in."

"Oh, please. I had it under control," Sirius replied, arrogantly. "I've been dealing with her for years. She is _my _cousin, after all."

Rochelle frowned. "Get back to your dormitory, Black."

Leaving him standing in the corridor, she quickly walked away, trying to ignore the rapid beating of her heart. What had made her so flustered? She hadn't spoken to Sirius in a while, but there was something about his mischievous smile that both attracted and terrified her. She didn't trust him.

Attempting to shake off the encounter, she pulled out the novel again, and flipped to the page she'd stopped at. Rochelle had barely read a few sentences before a voice interrupted her once more.

"Is that a _Muggle_ novel? I certainly didn't see that coming…"

Rochelle whirled around and saw that Sirius was just a few steps behind her, still smirking. Had he followed her? Irritated, she pulled her wand back out.

"Didn't I tell you to go back to your dormitory? _Twice_?" she demanded.

"And I am. Just taking a longer route, that's all. Didn't think it was a crime."

Rochelle glared at him, before hesitantly putting away her wand. Deciding to ignore him, she took up her book again, only to have it snatched out of her hands.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Black, what is your _problem_?" she demanded, exasperated. She lunged to get the book back, but Sirius held it out of her reach with a grin.

"_Pride and Prejudice_," he read out, examining the cover casually. He flipped through a couple of pages, his smile widening. "I knew it! This _is_ a Muggle novel, I've seen Evans reading the same book before! What do you have to say for yourself, Vittori?"

"I don't have to explain anything to _you_," she replied, trying to hide her anxiousness. He wouldn't tell anyone what she was reading, would he? Then again, who would believe him? "If you don't mind, I'd like the book back."

Sirius shook his head. "Not until you tell me why a respectable pureblood girl owns such… _scandalous _reading material. I must admit, I'm rather curious."

Rochelle folded her arms across her chest, impatiently. "You're one to be talking. There is nothing scandalous about reading a Muggle novel, Black. Certainly not enough to get me blasted off my family tree."

There was a short silence, as both of them digested what Rochelle had just said. Rochelle was surprised at her own words. She hadn't meant to sound quite so harsh. An apology was at the tip of her tongue, but she held it back. Why should she apologize to him?

"I see your cousin has been teaching you well," Sirius replied quietly.

"Don't talk about Lucius."

"My apologies. I didn't mean to _offend_. Tell me, Vittori, do you even have a brain of your own? Or is it that you blindly follow what darling _Lucius_ says?"

"How dare you-"

"But of course. You worship his every word. You spend all your life trying to keep him and the rest of your Muggle-hating family happy, don't you? I saw the look in your eyes when I recognized that novel. You were scared I'd tell someone. Ruin your family's reputation like I did mine, right?"

Rochelle glared at him. "You know nothing about me, Black, so don't presume-"

"I know more about you than you think. You're quite easy to read, Vittori. You just want to keep them all happy. Sacrificing your beliefs for a bunch of Muggle-hating, Dark Arts fanatics that don't even love you for who you are."

There was a loud, ringing smack. Sirius's palm shot up to grasp his cheek, where she'd just slapped him. Rochelle's own hand was still hanging mid-air, trembling. "Watch your mouth, Black. I may not be a courageous Gryffindor_, _but I know a hell of a lot more about _love_ than you. Don't you dare presume you can teach me anything about _family values, _you filthy blood traitor."

With that, she swept away, leaving Sirius shocked.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle's hands were trembling as she climbed into bed late that night. Her other dorm mates were all fast asleep, curtains drawn around their beds. Trying not to wake anyone up, she quietly changed into her nightclothes and curled up under the sheets.

Black's words were still ringing in her head. Though they'd made her furious at the time, she was slowly starting to realize their truth. '_Muggle-hating, Dark Arts fanatics_'. It was true. More than once, Rochelle had overheard conversations between her father and Uncle Abraxas. They talked about forbidden Dark magic, and about ridding the world of Muggles. The thought sent chills down her spine, but she'd always forced herself to forget the conversations. It seemed wrong to think her father was capable of such inhumane acts. Her father, who'd sat her on his knee when she was eight years old, and called her his little Princess.

But why should she listen to Sirius Black, anyway? He was the one who'd left his entire family in shame. Love wasn't about leaving your family in humiliation because you didn't agree with them. It was about loyalty, and respect. It was about unconditional love.

Sirius bloody Black knew nothing about love. _Nothing_.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle was half-asleep as she trudged into Potions class the next morning. She'd barely had time to tie her hair into its usual thick plait and throw on her uniform before rushing to class.

She'd just slipped into the Potions dungeon, when she realized that Lucius Malfoy was sitting in the seat right beside hers. Cursing silently, she gave him a forced smile, before taking her seat.

"Not sitting with Lestrange today?" she asked her cousin casually, trying to appear uninterested. Lucius usually sat with Rabastan Lestrange during potions, but she could see that Rabastan was sitting a few rows behind them, with another Slytherin boy. The move had clearly been intentional.

Lucius shrugged. "Simply felt like a change. Have you been avoiding me?"

Rochelle gave him an innocent smile. "Of course not, Lucius! Why would you think so?"

"I didn't see you yesterday, that was all. I actually had something rather interesting to tell you."

She nodded. "I see. Well, perhaps after class, we can speak about-"

"I have it on good authority that Frederick Nott may attempt to speak to you today. His family is very respectable. Perhaps not _quite_ on par with the Malfoys or the Vittoris… But that's hardly the issue. Your parents have a lot of expectations on you, Rochelle. Do not disappoint them."

"Of course not," she muttered quietly.

Lucius didn't look convinced. He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Professor Slughorn bustling loudly into the classroom, and calling for the students to take their seats. Frowning, Lucius turned around to face the front, just as a large cauldron emitting steam was hauled into the classroom.

"All right, settle down, everyone!" boomed Slughorn happily. "I've got something quite interesting for you today. Who can tell me what potion this is? Quickly, now, no looking into your textbooks! Ah, yes! Miss Evans!"

"It's Amortentia," Lily replied confidently. "The most powerful love potion in the world."

"Excellent! 5 points to Gryffindor!" Slughorn exclaimed, causing Lucius to mutter something rather unflattering under his breath. "And can you tell me, Miss Evans, how you identified it?"

"By it's distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen. And the steam rising from it in characteristic spirals."

"Correct! Another 5 points! Now, although the actual _brewing_ of this potion is not in your syllabus, I do expect a 15-inch essay on it, due Monday. Shouldn't be too difficult, there's plenty to write about. Extra marks if you can put your own personal spin on it. Now, who can tell me what Amortentia smells like?"

Another hand went into the air, just before Lily Evans' could. Surprised, the entire class turned to face Sirius Black, who was smiling smugly.

"Mr. Black?"

"It smells differently to each person, according to what _attracts_ them the most," he said, still smiling cheekily. Clearly he was trying to make it sound as dirty as possible. A few snickers were heard in the last seats.

"Correct, Mr. Black. Just as an experiment, I'd like everyone to gather round and take a good whiff. As I said, if you can identify the smells, and put them in your essay, extra points. Come now, everyone!"

Reluctantly, Rochelle slid out of her seat along with the rest of the class, and gathered slowly around the cauldron. She waited, while a few other students took their turns, and then inhaled deeply.

The first smell was incredibly easy to identify. It was the scent of lavender. Expected, since she had a small pot of it growing in the window of her dormitory. The Vittori Mansion's gardens were filled with lavender, and she'd loved playing in them as a child.

The second smell was also very familiar. It was her mother's Christmas pudding. Although her family had sufficient house elves to do the cooking at home, it was a small tradition that her mother always made the Christmas pudding. It reminded her of home, once again, and she smiled to herself.

The third smell was the only one that she couldn't quite place. It was odd. Certainly not food, or flowers. In fact, it distinctly resembled varnish, or wet paint. Confused, she stepped away from the cauldron, allowing the girl behind her to take a turn. She returned to her seat, where Lucius was looking at her curiously.

"You looked confused. What did you smell?" he asked.

"Flowers, and Mother's Christmas pudding. You?"

"Some sort of perfume. And the muddy scent of the Quidditch pitch when it's wet."

Rochelle nodded. Lucius hadn't mentioned a third scent either. Perhaps she'd been imagining it.

**A.N – Please review! And what do you think about the length of my chapters? Too long? Too short?**

**Oh, and suggestions are always welcome! I loooove honest criticism! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"I just wish they would stop doing it!" Lily ranted, as she and Rochelle supervised a few first years sorting through the file cabinets in Professor Flitwick's office. They'd been caught trying to duel each other in an empty classroom, and were now paying the price. "I just don't understand _why _they feel the need to torture Severus! I mean, he's a slimy little git, all Slytherins are… erm, sorry."

Rochelle held back a smile. "It's all right."

"I didn't mean _you. _You're the only decent Slytherin I know, Elle. But the rest of them aren't like that. They're scary. Obsessed with the Dark Arts and their hatred for Muggles… Oi! You there! You're supposed to be doing the sorting _manually, _put your wand away!"

The first year dropped his wand, startled, and gave Lily a guilty expression.

"You're scaring them, Lily," Rochelle pointed out.

"I know, I'm sorry. I'm just ticked off at Potter. Why can't he be the bigger man, for once? I'm tired of cleaning up after his messes, honestly!"

Rochelle listened distractedly, as Lily droned on. Although she was usually rather interesting to converse with, when she got started about Potter it was best to simply stay silent and listen. Although the red-head had enjoyed complaining about him for as long as they'd known each other, Rochelle observed that the complaints had gotten longer and more often as of late. It seemed that Lily Evans thought about James Potter a lot more than she let on.

"Lily," Rochelle interrupted her suddenly, a little tired of hearing about Potter. "What did you smell in the Amortentia yesterday? Just out of curiosity."

"Oh," Lily seemed a little surprised at the interruption, but thought for a few seconds. "Um, homemade chocolate chip cookies, and a rose-scented soap that I used to make when I was younger. And this other musky scent that I couldn't quite place. It was so familiar, but… I don't know."

Rochelle nodded absently, as the clock chimed, indicating that it was 7 o'clock. The first-years glanced at the two prefects eagerly, hoping to be dismissed.

"All right, you lot can leave," Rochelle told them, and they all quickly scrambled to their feet. "I hope you've learned your lesson!"

The first years left the room quickly, and the girls gathered their things and followed them out. "Are you going to dinner, Rochelle?" Lily asked.

"Um… no. I think I'll stop by my dorm, first."

"All right. I'll see you around."

The two girls parted ways, Rochelle feeling somewhat guilty. She _had _intended to go straight to dinner, but she couldn't turn up at the Great Hall with Lily. Lucius, or some of the other Slytherins might notice, and she didn't want to cause unnecessary problems. If any of her housemates saw her talking to a Muggle-born, the news would reach her parents, and they'd be disappointed. It was simply easier this way.

Taking the longer route to the Great Hall, she stopped when she heard someone calling her name. Turning around, she came face to face with a tall, brown-haired boy who was trying to catch up with her.

"Rochelle! There you are! Got a minute?"

Rochelle froze, horrified. There, standing right in front of her, was Frederick Nott. He was dressed in Slytherin Quidditch robes and looked a little messy, having just returned from practice. He smiled widely at her.

"Erm, of course, Frederick. Did you need something?" she managed to say composedly. Frederick nodded, running his hands nervously through his hair.

"Yes, well, erm… there's this Hogsmeade trip this weekend… if you don't already have plans, I was wondering whether you'd like to go together? I thought it might be fun," Frederick replied, confirming Rochelle's fears. She took a deep breath and smiled up at him, nodding.

"That sounds nice. I'd love to,"

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

"Would you bloody hurry up?" Sirius demanded, as James continued to ruffle his hair in the mirror. He slicked it back one last time, before turning to face his friends.

"All right, I'm done. Let's go."

The four friends quickly rushed out of the Gryffindor common room, and began their walk to Hogsmeade. It had been a long and tiring week at school, and they were ready for a break. Happily slipping into the warm Three Broomsticks, they ordered Butterbeer and found themselves a table.

"Look who else is here," Peter muttered, glancing at the other end of the room. "_Slytherins_."

Sirius turned around, looking at the table that Peter was glaring at. To his surprise, Rochelle Vittori was seated there, with another boy that he recognized from the Slytherin Quidditch team. The boy was describing something animatedly, while Rochelle listened quietly, smiling.

"Hm. Never seen Vittori with a _boy_ before. Always thought she was a bit of a prude," James commented harshly. "Though I suppose she's perfect for Nott. Bloke's got his head stuck up his arse."

"Don't, James," Remus insisted, shaking his head. "Vittori's not that bad. She is a Prefect, after all. And she gets along with Evans, surely you can respect that."

"Still a Slytherin," James muttered, but he fell silent shortly after that, and changed the topic.

Sirius, however, couldn't manage to distract himself from the pair. What James has said was right- he'd never seen Vittori with a boy before. Never seen her hanging out with many Slytherins, to be honest, except for Malfoy. And even now, the smile on her face was a little too strained to be true.

_Maybe she just needs a little help… _

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

If there was one thing that Rochelle learned quickly about Frederick, it was that he loved the sound of his own voice. In one way, it was convenient. He didn't expect much of a response from her, and an occasional nod and murmer of agreement was enough to satisfy him. It left her free to drift off into her own thoughts.

"You know, I wanted to talk to you before," he admitted, taking a sip of his Butterbeer. "But I wasn't sure if it was appropriate. Rumor was that you were betrothed to that Black boy. The older one, yeah? But after recent events, I suppose that's out of the question."

"I was never betrothed to him," Rochelle put in. "It was just speculation. But no, that's no longer possible."

"Hm. Of course. Either way, I talked to Lucius first, just to make sure I wasn't overstepping any boundaries. Thought it would be better to get his permission."

Rochelle frowned. "You don't need Lucius's permission for anything, Frederick. He's not my _father." _

"Oh, of course! I didn't mean to offend you! I suppose you're all for women's liberty, are you? It's all the rage nowadays, I completely understand!"

Rochelle nodded, drifting off once more as Frederick began ranting about women's liberty and what a wonderful idea it was. She sipped her Butterbeer pleasantly, gazing out of the window just in time to notice four Gryffindor boys walk into the pub. Frowning slightly to herself as they took their seats, Rochelle forced her attention back to Frederick.

"So, Frederick," Rochelle said, interrupting his ranting. "What do you plan to do after Hogwarts? Have you any idea?"

Fredrick smiled, completely unfazed by her interruption. "Well, I'm not quite certain yet. I'd rather like to join the Ministry, but I think my father wants me to take up the family business. He controls the trade of potions ingredients between Britain and the USA, you know, quite a critical business for our potions industry. Did you know that half the ingredients we use here can be found for much cheaper in America?"

He'd started again, Rochelle played with the handle of her Butterbeer mug, thinking longingly of the fire in the Slytherin common room, and the ending of the novel Lily had lent her. Unwillingly, her hand lifted up the half-full glass of butterbeer, and held it up at face level.

Frederick, who'd been halfway through explaining the availability of moonstone in France, paused for a second and gave her an odd look. "Are you all right, Rochelle? Did you want a refill?"

Rochelle shook her head frantically, a feeling of terror washing over her. She couldn't move her hand! Although it was right in front of her, clutching the mug of butterbeer, she suddenly had no control over it. Panicked, she managed to flex her other hand, but the one clutching the Butterbeer was paralyzed. "I… I can't move it! I don't know what's wrong!"

Frederick, concerned, leaned over the table slightly, his arm reaching out to touch her hand. Just as he was a few inches away, however, Rochelle's arm suddenly jerked of its own accord.

And emptied the entire contents of the mug onto Frederick Nott's face.

"_Shit!"_ Rochelle cursed loudly, jumping out of her seat in horror. "Merlin, Frederick, I'm so sorry, I don't know what happened, I didn't mean to-"

Frederick, whose face was covered in the honey-colored liquid, simply held up a hand, motioning for her to be quiet. Rochelle stopped, her hands covering her own mouth in shock. "I'm so sor-"

"Don't. Just don't."

Grabbing a few of the tissues that were lying on the table, he wiped them across his face before marching straight out of the pub. Rochelle was left standing alone, almost in tears, when she heard a few snickers from the other side of the room.

Rage shot through her.

"It was _you!_" she hissed, marching straight over to a smirking Sirius Black. She glared around at all his friends, her blue-grey eyes almost murderous. Remus looked disappointed, but the other three's expressions could only be described as gleeful. "What is wrongwith you? Is it the aim of your pitiful existence to make my life _miserable_?"

Sirius ran his fingers through his black hair, grinning at her cheekily. "I think 'miserable' better described your expression when you were sitting with him. I just did you a favor, Vittori. I believe thanks is in order."

"THANKS?I'm supposed to _thank _you for that display? I didn't want to be here! In fact, the only reason I had to come to Hogsmeade with that git was because _you _couldn't bloody put up with your own family!" Rochelle screamed, her face turning pink with the effort. "And now, you had to ruin the one chance I actually had with someone decent!"

Sirius narrowed his eyes at her. "Someone decent? Nott's an arrogant little berk who can't keep his mouth shut for two minutes straight! I'm sure Little Miss Perfect like you could do better!"

Rochelle took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. When she spoke again, her voice was cold and dangerous. "I think it's time for you to grow up, Black, and understand that your actions have consequences for other people. Otherwise you'll wake up one morning, and realize that the only people who will put up with you, are…" she sneered at his friends, giving each of them a disgusted look. "Them. And you'll be in a rather lonely place."

Sirius stood up abruptly, knocking his chair backward. All traces of humor were gone from his face. "Don't you dare say a word about my friends. At least they're not queuing up to be Death Eaters like your family. Planning to rid the world of Muggles, are you, Vittori? You and your precious father?"

There was a shocked silence. The entire pub was staring at them, eyes wide. In one fluid movement, Rochelle whipped out her wand, and placed it at the base of Sirius Black's throat. A jolt of fear shot through his eyes. "If I wanted to rid the world of something, Black, it would be filthy blood traitors like you who don't give a rat's arse about the families who love and provide for them. At least _my _father can look me in the eyes without feeling ashamed of his own child. Which is more than I can say for you."

"Fathers like ours aren't worth being proud of, Rochelle," Sirius muttered quietly, feeling her wand still at his throat. "Hopefully you'll realize that yourself, someday."

Rochelle stared at Sirius, a tortured expression on her face. There was something in those soft brown eyes of his that made her think he was trying to help her. Maybe he understood, maybe…

_No. _

She jerked her wand back, and left the Three Broomsticks as quickly as she could, without turning to look back.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

"You threw a Butterbeer in his face."

Lucius Malfoy was sitting opposite Rochelle in the Slytherin Common Room, trying to look stern and disapproving. While his eyes managed to look serious, however, Rochelle could see the corners of his mouth turning up in an effort to restrain his amusement.

"Well… not _intentionally _… but yes, that's pretty much what happened."

Lucius couldn't resist any longer and he shook his head, a chuckle escaping his lips. "Merlin, I'd have liked to see that. You'll be the death of me, Rochelle."

"Lucius, you can't tell Mother and Father. _Please, _I'm begging you!" Rochelle insisted, though his chuckles had begun to turn into full-out laughter. A few people were giving them odd looks. "Lucius! Stop laughing!"

"I'm sorry," he apologized, quietening down. "I suppose he was asking for it… Little git always thinks he can order me around on the Quidditch pitch. All right, I won't tell your parents. Just this once."

"Thank you."

"But you realize this doesn't look good," Lucius insisted, his tone turning serious once again. "Rochelle, if you're going to be throwing food at every boy that comes within an arm's reach of you-"

"It wasn't me! I told you, I was jinxed by Black!"

"All right, all right! I'll have to see what I can do to cover up this mess. It's going to reflect badly on your reputation, though. And for Merlin's sake, what did you say to Black in the Three Broomsticks?' Lucius demanded. "Crabbe was there, and he says that you looked just about ready to curse the little traitor."

"He was being an arse."

"Well, control your temper next time. It's not good for women to create public displays like that. Honestly, Rochelle, things were easier when you kept yourself invisible."

Rochelle smiled sheepishly at her cousin.

"Sorry."

"It's all right," Lucius replied, getting up to leave. Rochelle stopped him, however, and he gave her a curious look. "What now?"

"I… I wanted to ask you something."

"What?"

"It's just… hypothetically," Rochelle began, looking up at her cousin nervously. "What if you knew that someone you loved was doing something wrong? And that they might expect you to do it as well, one day? What would you do?"

Lucius gave her a startled look. "I… I don't know. Try to stop them, I suppose."

"What if stopping them wasn't in your power? What if their beliefs were so firmly rooted that you couldn't change them? Should you try to save yourself?"

Lucius's eyes narrowed, and they looked down at Rochelle suspiciously. "What is this nonsense? You've been reading too many books, Rochelle. Go to bed."

And he left her sitting alone, more confused than ever.

**A/N – Review, please! Just hit me with 'em, honestly!**

**Thank you so much to the people who **_**did**_** review! Especially WhatsTheTimeMrWolf! Your description of Rochelle was exactly the way I wanted her to be! Her character is based on the concept that it's hard to go against someone who's shown you nothing but love since an early age. **

**I'm also really big on family values. I simply HATE kids who take their families for granted. I've seen too many cases where ungrateful children have eloped, leaving heartbroken parents behind. I guess this sort of reflects my own feelings in the OC. But hey! You can't write it unless you've felt it! At least, that's what I think…. **

**I also wanted to show a better side to Lucius in this chapter! Honestly, I don't think he's all that bad. I was trying to show that even though he can be a git, Rochelle trusts him a lot. Their friendship is pretty crucial to the story. **

**So… Review! Thanks! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The next few days passed by far too quickly for Rochelle, and she found herself, for once in her life, dreading the end of term. Christmas holidays were approaching, and Rochelle had received the usual letter from her mother, asking about her daughter's well-being and confirming that she would be coming home. The confirmation was a mere formality. Rochelle had never been invited to a classmate's home for the holidays, and even if she had, she would have declined. For the last 5 years, every holiday had been spent at home.

"Excited for Christmas?" Lucius asked her conversationally, as he helped her heave her trunk onto one of the carriages. They were heading for the Hogwarts Express, which would take them home for about two weeks.

Rochelle smiled back at him. "Of course. As always."

But she wasn't. Rochelle hated to admit it but for once, she wanted to stay back in Hogwarts for the holidays. She wasn't sure what the reason was, but somehow, the thought of going back home was making her more nervous. She shook it off, turning to look at Rabastan Lestrange, who had just joined them. He was a good friend of Lucius's, and he held a hand out to Rochelle to help her into the carriage.

"You should be excited," Rabastan told her, with a smile, as she settled down beside her cousin. The carriage began moving with a jolt, drawn by some invisible force. "I hear there's an engagement party to be held for your brother? It's quite the event of the season. My mother could barely talk about anything else."

Rochelle nodded. Her elder brother, Royce, had left Hogwarts almost two years ago. Having joined the Ministry and gained a prominent position in a short period of time, Rochelle's parents had decided that the time to fulfill his betrothal was arriving. He'd been long-engaged to Carmella Rossetti, the second daughter of a rather prominent Italian pureblood family. Rochelle had met the girl once or twice, and although her English could do with a bit of improvement, she'd seemed like a decent person.

"Yes, Mother and Father are quite excited," Rochelle admitted, smiling back at Rabastan. "They seem to be making a larger deal out of the engagement than the actual wedding itself. I hope your family plans to attend?"

"Oh, wouldn't miss it."

The carriage rattled on, reaching the Hogwarts Express much sooner than Rochelle would have liked. She managed to find herself an empty compartment. Lucius and Rabastan sat with her for a few minutes, before joining some other Slytherin boys in a different compartment. Grateful for the silence, she quickly pulled out another book that she'd borrowed from Lily, and curled up beside the window to read.

"Oi, look, this one's empty!" a voice yelled out cheerfully, as a tall figure shoved open the door. James Potter froze, however, once he saw Rochelle sitting inside. "Um, sorry. Never mind."

He quickly backed away, closing the door behind him. Not, however, before Rochelle caught a glimpse of Sirius Black standing in the aisle and watching her curiously with his dark grey eyes.

She'd spent the last week of term avoiding him entirely. It hadn't been particularly difficult. Their paths very rarely crossed, and even when they did, he didn't seem particularly eager for conversation either. Rochelle was unsure where the last encounter in the Three Broomsticks had left their relationship. They'd never really been friends, but she wondered if they could now be considered enemies. She _had _pointed a wand at his throat. Thinking about the event made her feel a tiny bit of remorse. She should have cursed him instead.

Finding her mood suddenly ruined, Rochelle quickly closed the novel and shoved it back into one of the pockets in her robes. As she pulled out her hand, however, it jabbed into something sharp. She extracted Lucius's wand, remembering that he'd asked her to hold it as he lifted her trunk down from the carriage, and she'd never returned it to him. Sighing, she got to her feet and walked out into the aisle to find him.

Rochelle walked past a few compartments, before noticing that Sirius Black and James Potter were standing in the aisle. Hadn't they found somewhere to sit, yet? She paused a few feet away from them, before realizing that they were actually eavesdropping on one of the compartments. The door was open a crack, and a loud and rather familiar voice was drifting out of it.

_Frederick_. Rochelle thought, recognizing the voice immediately. It was difficult to forget. After the abrupt ending to their Hogsmeade trip together, Rochelle had sought him out and tried to apologize for the situation. He hadn't been particularly willing to forgive, however, and she'd been receiving dark looks from him for the past few days. She'd finally decided to let it go. If he was so intent on holding a grudge, there was nothing she could do.

"-and I'm telling you, mate, that _hair_ of her's, it's enough to drive any man crazy," Frederick's faint voice said, along with a bunch of other masculine chuckles. Rochelle pitied the poor girl that had captured Fredericks' attentions now. Glaring at Sirius and James, neither of whom had noticed her, she cleared her throat.

"Excuse me? I'd like to get past," she told them. They both jumped, turning to look at her in surprise. As soon as Sirius saw her, however his eyes narrowed. He shifted his position so he was blocking the corridor completely.

"Go back to your compartment, Vittori."

Rochelle raised her eyebrows. Who the hell did he think he was, ordering her around? "I don't think so, Black. You don't own this train. Move, right now, so I can get past."

Sirius shook his head. "Would you listen to me, once? Get back to your bloody compartment. It's for your own good. You don't want to hear this."

"Don't want to hear _what_?" Rochelle demanded, unable to take the curiosity. She pushed past both Sirius and James so that she was standing right in front of the crack in the compartment door. Frederick's voice was louder, and she could hear it more clearly.

"-If things hadn't ended so badly, I swear, I would have fucked her sooner or later. I'm telling you, she's probably one of the only virgins left in our year, that's how much of a prude she is," Frederick was continuing harshly. "Wouldn't even let me hold her hand, she moved away when I tried. Or maybe she's not a virgin at all! Maybe she's been fucking Black this whole time and no one ever noticed!" A cruel laugh followed this statement, and was joined by a few other boys. Rochelle froze, unable to breathe. It felt like someone was squeezing her lungs.

"Ha, you're right there, Fred! Betrothed, weren't they, before the little bastard turned traitor? It's your own fault, Frederick, you signed up for the used goods!" another voice called loudly, to more raucous laughter.

Rochelle 's hands started trembling wildly, as she stepped away from the compartment door. Her face had gone white, and she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

_They were talking about her. _

"I can't listen to this bullshit," Sirius decided finally, after watching Rochelle tremble silently for a few seconds. He felt a sudden rush of anger. Slytherins were disgusting little hypocrites, but he'd never thought that they would do this to one of their own. Glancing once more at the trembling girl who looked like she was going to be sick, he shoved the compartment door open, and walked in.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt your little _party_," Sirius hissed, as a group of about 6 Slytherin boys stared up at him in shock, mid-laugh. Nott was sitting closest to the door, and it took Sirius less than five seconds to grab him by the front of his robes and pin him up against the wall.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Frederick demanded, trying to squeeze out of Sirius's grip desperately. "Let go of me, you imbecile! Do you have any idea who you're-"

_Crack_.

The sound, which seemed to echo throughout the compartment, was that of Frederick's nose breaking. There was a spatter of blood as Sirius pulled his arm back, followed by an anguished yell of pain. Sirius released Nott quickly, before another Slytherin lunged at him. Ducking, he slipped out of the compartment and came face to face with James, who looked horrified.

"Sirius, there's _half a dozen _of them in there! What were you thinking?" Potter cried.

"I don't know? Let's run!"

Rochelle watched in shock as the two boys fled down the aisle, followed by a few angry-looking Slytherins. Nott was still lying crumpled in the doorway, clutching his nose and moaning in pain. A few seconds later, a familiar figure emerged from the compartment. Rochelle felt her stomach lurch.

_Lucius. _

"Were you sitting in there with them?" she asked. Her voice was quiet, almost cracking towards the end of the sentence. Malfoy looked up at her, eyes wide.

"I… Rochelle, I can explain," he insisted.

"Explain?" she laughed, the sound more hysterical than humorous. "Oh, please do. Please do explain why you were sitting with a bunch of disgusting maggots and having a good laugh while they talked about me like I was some _common whore_!"

"Rochelle, they're my friends, I couldn't have said anything to-"

"Oh, of course you couldn't," she spat, her eyes flaming with anger. "Sirius _Black_ could step in and get them to shut up, but my own cousin couldn't be bothered. I see how it is."

Lucius glared at her. "You're misunderstanding the entire situation, Rochelle. I suggest you calm down before you let your anger cloud your judgment and prevent you from seeing things clearly."

"Quite the contrary, _cousin_. I see things very clearly now."

**A/N – Thank you for the reviews! Sorry this chapter is short. I promise the next one will be longer and a lot more interesting. Things are going to build up with Sirius and Rochelle!**

**An anonymous reviewer mentioned that they found the scene where Rochelle finds out about Remus hard to believe. I agree completely. I was never really happy with that part, and since I now KNOW that it doesn't make much sense, I've deleted it. Maybe it'll come in again later on, at a more appropriate time. So yeah. Just thought I'd let you know. Hey, I'm still learning! **

**To answer the other questions – Lily and Rochelle are Prefects. They're not the sort of friends that hang out after classes or eat lunch together. They chat during Prefect duties, such as supervising detentions or patrolling corridors after hours. Their hang-outs aren't usually public, and if you haven't noticed, Rochelle DOES subtly go out of her way to ensure none of the Slytherins she knows see her with Lily. I know, it's rather… fake of her, but that's how she is. **

**Anyway, review! And thanks again to all my reviewers. I WANT criticism, people. How else am I meant to improve? **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 **

"Oh, _darling_. You look absolutely beautiful!"

Rochelle smiled at her reflection, feeling satisfied. She'd put a lot of effort into her appearance for the special night, and it had paid off. She was wearing a dark emerald colored dress, picked out by her mother specifically for its resemblance to the shade of green used on most Slytherin embellishments. Her hair was curled back elegantly.

Rochelle Vittori looked like a pureblood heiress.

"Thank you, Mother," Rochelle replied, turning to face her. Cassandra Vittori was dressed well too. Age had not affected her beauty, and she looked resplendent in a midnight blue gown. "You look wonderful also."

Rochelle's mother smiled, entering further into the room and closing the door behind her. "Thank you, dear. But I suppose that after the bride-to-be, _you_ will be the center of attraction tonight. We mustn't ruin your sister-in-law's night of course- but there will be many important people here, and there's no harm in making a good impression."

Rochelle nodded. She knew that already. "Of course."

"Well, I suppose we should get going, then. Your father's waiting for me downstairs," Cassandra replied, adjusting her own dress slightly, before smiling. "And don't forget to have some fun as well. It _is _your brother's engagement."

Rochelle let out a shaky breath, and followed her mother out of the room. She'd been to plenty of social gatherings before, of course, but this was the first one where she, along with her Mother, was old enough to be considered a hostess. She would have to interact with guests, smile and dance. The thought both terrified and excited her.

Her parents had spared no expense for Royce Vittori's engagement. Only the best was to be had for their only son, and the extravagance was beyond expectations. Entering the ballroom of the Vittori mansion, Rochelle saw that it had been enlarged for the purpose, and every inch was decorated. Although all the guests had not arrived yet, there were many people already dancing and talking. She froze in terror for a few moments, before someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"Scared already, sister? The worst ones have yet to arrive."

"Royce, stop being a prick!" Rochelle scolded her brother, slapping him on the arm playfully. "I'm terrified enough as it is. You look quite handsome tonight, though."

Royce smiled back at her. The two Vittori siblings looked alike. They'd both inherited their father's dark hair and fair skin. But while Rochelle's eyes came from her mother's side of the family, the Malfoys, Royce had inherited the classic dark brown Vittori eyes. "You look beautiful tonight too, Rochelle. I hope you're ready to be a wonderful hostess."

"I'm scared. I don't know half of these people."

"Ah, but they know _you_. So just smile and nod and act as though you know exactly what they're saying. You'll find people are rather easy to deceive."

"Now you're just teasing me. Where's your bride-to-be? I haven't seen her yet, tonight."

"Her sisters have arrived- she's gone off with them somewhere," replied Royce, somewhat dejected. "And I was hoping to introduce her to Yaxley…"

Royce trailed off, suddenly spotting someone that he needed to speak to, and left Rochelle standing alone once more. She frowned, glancing around at a few more of the unfamiliar faces nervously. What was she supposed to do? She couldn't just stand here, doing nothing, could she? Yet she barely knew any of these people….

Rochelle turned around, just in time to see her Mother reappear. Cassandra Vittori smiled at a few more unfamiliar faces politely, before taking Rochelle' arm. "Darling, I hear the Lestranges are to arrive any moment. Will you greet them? I'd do it myself, but I'm afraid I'm needed elsewhere…"

Rochelle took a deep breath, and nodded. She knew that this was a test. Allowing her to greet a family as important as the Lestranges showed the trust her mother was placing in her, and Rochelle wasn't about to let her down. "Of course, Mother."

"Very well. I'll be in the other side of the room if you need me."

Rochelle quickly smoothed down her dress, before standing near the fireplace. Most of the guests preferred to Floo to the Vittori mansion. Although they could apparate, it was a bit of a trend to see which family had the best and most comfortable fireplace. The Vittoris, in particular, had an enormous one, where groups of up to 6 people could Floo together at a time. It was more of a fashion statement than anything.

There was a burst of green flame, and before Rochelle could react, four people had walked out of the fireplace. Mr. and Mrs. Graham Lestrange walked out first, followed by their two sons, Rodolphus and Rabastan.

"Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange," Rochelle greeted, easing a polite smile onto her face. "It's wonderful to see you. We're so glad you could make it tonight."

"Oh, of course, darling," Mrs. Lestrange cooed, stepping forward and smiling sweetly at Rochelle. Her large hat contained a single fuchsia feather, which matched her robes. "You look wonderful tonight, dear- How you've grown! I last saw you when you were but a child… hasn't she grown, Graham?"

Her husband gave a non-committal grunt.

"That's very kind of you, Mrs. Lestrange," Rochelle replied. She couldn't help but notice that Mrs. Lestrange was eyeing her like a hawk eyes it's prey. "My mother is terribly sorry that she couldn't be here to greet you herself. I'm afraid she got caught up in the preparations."

"Oh that's perfectly all right, my dear. But we must offer our congratulations to the young couple! Where are your brother and his fiancée? _Italian_, I hear she is, how absolutely _lovely_…"

Rochelle nodded, allowing herself to glance past the fuschia-robed Mrs. Lestrange and at the rest of the family. Mr. Lestrange seemed in a bad humor and eager to leave, as did his son Rodolphus. Rochelle had never met him before but he looked rather terrifying. Rabastan, on the other hand, looked handsome. He offered Rochelle a smile, but it faded at the cold look she gave him. Rochelle hadn't yet put the train incident out of her mind. He'd been sitting in that compartment too, she knew it.

"The bride-to-be is over there, by the fountain, if you wish to offer her congratulations," Rochelle replied.

"Of course. We'll go over immediately," Mrs. Lestrange decided, grabbing her husband's arm. She smiled down at Rochelle. "Your Mother has taught you well, I see. What pretty little manners you have!"

Rochelle shifted uncomfortably. "Thank you. And I hope you have a wonderful evening."

The Lestranges swept past her into the ballroom, none but Rabastan bothering to glance back at her. She returned her cold stare, however, and he was quick to follow his family. Soon, they were out of sight, and Rochelle let out a relived breath.

_Well. That wasn't too terrible for my first time. _

Rochelle composed herself quickly, turning to leave the fireplace, just as another flash of green flame appeared. Surprised, Rochelle paused to see a plump and sour-faced woman step out, along with a tall man and a boy her age. She recognized the boy from Hogwarts immediately, with a start.

_Regulus Black! Merlin, this is the Black family! Why didn't Mother tell me?_

"Mrs. Black," Rochelle greeted politely, trying to calm her nerves. She hadn't been prepared for this. Where was her mother? "And Mr. Black. It's such a pleasure to see you. We're so glad you could make it."

Mr. Orion Black nodded at her stiffly. "Thank you, Rochelle. May we offer our congratulations to your family on your brother's engagement? It's a very joyous-"

"Well, I say!" Interrupted Mrs. Black, looking quite indignant. If Rochelle had thought that Mrs. Lestrange was dressed outlandishly, then there was nothing to be said for Walburga Black. She seemed to have taken the recent trend of feathers a little too seriously. "What sort of party is _this? _Will no one even bother to take my coat?"

Rochelle's mouth dropped open, horrified. Quickly turning to rectify her mistake, she waved over a house elf standing nearby. "Dipsy! Take Mrs. Black's coat, will you? I'm _terribly _sorry, Mrs. Black."

Walburga Black huffed irritably, before throwing her peacock-feathered coat at Dipsy. The poor house elf almost crumbled under it's weight, but soon managed to upright herself and disappeared with a pop. "And what's this? There's _soot_ on my dress! Good lord, haven't you even a clean fireplace?"

Rochelle bristled slightly. The fireplace had been cleaned multiple times specifically for the ball. There was no chance of any soot on Mrs. Black's dress, unless it came from her _own_ fireplace. She couldn't, however, voice this out loud. "My apologies, Mrs. Black. Would you like me to help you clean that?"

"No, don't touch it," Walburga snapped. "Merlin, what a disaster! And where's your mother? Couldn't she come greet us herself? A bit of an insult, sending her teenage _daughter_ to greet us, don't you think, Orion?"

Orion Black shook his head calmly. "I think Rochelle is enough of an adult to be greeting guests, Walburga. Perhaps Cassandra was caught up in some other work."

"Dinner preparations," Rochelle prompted quickly, shooting Mr. Black a grateful smile. At least he knew how to handle his wife. "She's terribly sorry she couldn't be here. Would you like to meet the engaged couple? They're over there-"

"Hm, all right, all right," Mrs. Black muttered, frowning. "We'll greet them. Though I don't know why your brother couldn't have just married an Englishwoman. _Italians. _Sneaky little bastards they are, never liked them much. Come on, then, Orion, I suppose we must engage in formalities."

Rochelle stared at Mrs. Black, appalled at her rudeness. How could anyone _speak _that way? She gaped in silence as Mrs. Black pushed past Rochelle, her large feathers trailing after her as she clutched her husband's arm with a vice-like grip. Regulus Black paused for a few moments, turning to look at Rochelle.

"Erm, sorry about my mother. She's…"

Rochelle just gave him a weak smile, and he continued on after his parents.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Cassandra Vittori was appalled that Rochelle had been forced to deal with the Black family herself.

"I'm so sorry, dear, I never expected their arrival," she admitted, once they'd found a few seconds of peace. Most of the guests had arrived, and Mrs. Vittori was running around, trying to please them all. "I wouldn't have left you alone with them if I'd known. Walburga has always been odd; but I'm afraid that she's particularly sour this evening. It's the first social gathering since her son ran away of course… and you were meant to become her daughter-in-law. You can see how she might take that out on you."

Rochelle shuddered slightly at the thought. "Of course."

"Well, never mind, it's all over. Perhaps it's best if you stay out of her sight from now on," Cassandra insisted. "Why don't you go join your father? He's speaking to some of his Ministry colleagues. They're quite pleasant people to get along with."

Rochelle nodded, relieved at the thought of joining her father. She quickly walked over to him, where he was standing with another rather important looking gentleman. She smiled at him politely. "Good evening, sir. I hope you're having a pleasant evening?"

"Wonderful, thank you," the man replied, smiling kindly. "And I suppose this is your daughter, Alfred? Such a well-mannered girl. I see she takes after her mother."

Alfred Vittori laughed. He had a loud and rumbling laugh, that seemed to have a contagious sort of happiness around it. "Is that a jibe at my manners, Fabian? But yes, allow me to introduce you to my daughter, Rochelle. Rochelle, this is Mr. Henderson, from the Ministry."

"A pleasure to meet you, sir."

"You as well, my dear," Mr. Henderson answered. "Well, it was wonderful talking to you, Alfred, but I'm afraid I must see where my wife has gotten to."

"Of course. I hope you enjoy yourself, this evening."

"Oh, I plan to."

Mr. Henderson walked off, leaving Rochelle alone with her father. Alfred smiled down at his daughter, once more. "Well, Rochelle, you seem to be creating quite the stir this evening," he told her. "Almost everyone I've met has commented on your pleasing manners. I'm very proud of you."

"Thank you, Father," Rochelle replied, unable to control the gush of pride she felt inside. She could deal with ten Mrs. Blacks, if it made her father happy. "Most people have been quite cordial."

Alfred Vittori laughed. "And by _most, _I suppose you mean to refer to Mrs. Walburga Black. Don't worry about her, darling. She's a little bitter that you won't marry her son."

"That's what Mother said."

"Yes. Well, I think you've pleased enough guests for one night. Go have some fun. Why don't you find yourself a dance partner?" Alfred suggested. "Perhaps Lucius-"

"-is busy with his betrothed, Narcissa Black," Rochelle covered up quickly. She'd avoided the Malfoy family, and didn't intend to go anywhere near them.

"Well, I'm sure you'll find someone."

Alfred Vittori disappeared, walking off into the crowd to meet someone else. Frowning, Rochelle calmly began to find herself a seat, before someone tapped her on the shoulder. Turning around, she came face-to-face with Rabastan Lestrange.

"I heard your father mention that you might need a dance partner," he commented, holding out a hand. "Would you care to join me?"

Rochelle narrowed her eyes at him. "No thank you. I'm rather tired."

Rabastan dropped his hand, disappointed. "Rochelle, are you still angry because of what happened on the train? I know I was in the compartment with Nott, but-"

"No, Rabastan, I am not angry," Rochelle answered quickly. "I have no right to be angry with you. You are nothing more to me than my cousin's friend. I am, however, _disgusted_. So excuse me if I'd rather not be in your presence."

"I apologize for my behavior, but-"

"You have nothing to apologize for. Please leave me be."

"But I-"

He was interrupted by a loud crash a few feet away. Surprised, Rochelle whirled around to face the source, and saw that Mrs. Black was standing at the center of it, screaming. Resisting the urge to bang her head against the wall, Rochelle turned back to Rabastan. "Excuse me. I must take care of this."

She walked away quickly, hurrying towards the commotion. Dipsy, the poor house elf, was crouching on the floor in terror, while Mrs. Black screeched at her. "And a _disaster! Ruined my dress entirely!_ Couldn't she look where she was going? What sort of _atrocious_ service is this?"

Rochelle pushed past a few onlookers, quickly approaching the woman. "Mrs. Black. Is there a problem?"

Mrs. Black glared at her. "Of _course_ there's a problem. Your stupid little house elf can't even _walk_ straight! I've never seen such incompetent servants anywhere! If she was my house elf, she would be whipped for her clumsine-"

"I'm terribly sorry about your dress, Mrs. Black," Rochelle replied, forcing herself to keep calm. 'if you'll give me a few moments, I'll be certain to have it fixed for you. Dipsy, please get up from the floor and bring me another elf to fix Mrs. Black's dress."

Dipsy got up from the floor, shaking, and nodded. She was about to disapparate, when Mrs. Black protested. "Well? Is that all? Won't you _punish_ the elf?"

Rochelle turned around, shooting Mrs. Black a sharp look. "Dipsy tripped over the feathers of your dress, Mrs. Black. It could happen to anybody, and is certainly not an offense large enough to warrant punishment. Even if it was, however, our family is not in the habit of punishing our elves in public. Surely you can see how it would ruin the mood of the gathering."

Mrs. Black stared at Rochelle, her mouth gaping open slightly. "How _dare _you speak to me that way, you insolent little girl! I am your _elder_, not to mention your guest!"

"Well then, perhaps you should behave like a guest."

There was a shocked silence. Most of the onlookers were horrified at Rochelle's boldness, and she regretted her words suddenly. Before she could say anything, however, Cassandra Vittori quickly appeared, followed closely by her husband. She took Rochelle's arm, and gave her a stiff smile.

"Why don't you go upstairs, dear. I'll handle this from here."

Rochelle nodded numbly, quickly leaving the ballroom as quickly as possible. She ran upstairs, crossing to the other side of the mansion, before slamming the door of her room behind her and collapsing onto her bed. A fleeting thought crossed her mind.

_No wonder Sirius Black ran away from this woman._

**A/N – No Sirius in this one! (wipes away a tear). But it's a pretty important chapter in the sense that Rochelle gets a grip of what Sirius had to face every day of his life. **

**I wanted to show a bit of pureblood society in this one, as well as introduce Rochelle's parents. You can see that while they are both most certainly elite purebloods, they love their daughter very much. **

**THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS! Yes, ItsMrsBlack, Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite books too! I had a few others in mind, but I had to remember that this story takes place in like, what, the 1960s? So yeah, I needed something that would have been written by then. Austen seemed like a perfect choice! And there will be a bit more drama with Lucius, no worries. Rochelle isn't about to forgive him just yet. I'm glad y'all like it so much! **

**No worries, I plan to send Rochelle back to Hogwarts in the next chapter. Sirius SHALL return! **

**REVIEW! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Sirius Black leaned back in his seat, putting his arms behind his head. The seats on the Hogwarts Express were extremely comfortable, and he sighed contentedly, closing his eyes.

"Padfoot! There you are!"

He groaned, opening an eye. "Wormtail. Where have you been?"

"Mum was late, almost made me miss the train," Peter explained, sitting down opposite Sirius in the compartment. "Where are James and Remus? And how were your holidays?"

"James is trying to find his dear '_Lilykins_'," Sirius mumbled, with shudder. "And my holidays were fine. Mrs. Potter's a wonderful cook. You?"

"Fine as well."

The two boys sat silently in the compartment for a while, before James burst in, declaring that he'd been unable to find Lily _anywhere_. Disappointed, but not undeterred, he also recounted the tale of how he'd happened to run into David Flint, a particularly huge Slytherin seventh-year. The boy was one of Frederick Nott's friends, and clearly the memory of the train ride back home was still fresh in his mind.

"I ran for it, mate," James explained, dramatically. "Thought he was going to bloody knock my head off, that's how angry he looked. I mean, you'd think he'd let it go, it was two weeks ago."

Sirius shrugged. After he and James had run from the Slytherins chasing them on the train, they'd managed to pull off a rather successful maneuver. Luring all four of the hefty Slytherins into a compartment, they'd shut the door and locked them all in. "It probably took hours for them to get out, the charm we used on the lock was unbreakable. Bet a teacher had to come find them."

James smiled, the thought giving all three boys a few moments of pleasure.

After a while, Sirius spoke up. "Is Moony still at his Prefects' meeting? I thought it would have ended by now."

James nodded. "It probably has. Maybe he can't find our compartment. We _are_ sitting in a different part of the train. Those first years keep stealing our seats."

"I'll find him," Sirius volunteered, slipping out of the compartment. He had to slide past a group of giggling fourth year girls, one of whom blushed as he passed. He shot her a quick smile, before moving along. He'd just spotted Remus at the other end of the train when a voice called him.

"Black! There you are! You're perfect!"

Startled, he turned around and came face to face with Lily Evans. Had she spoken? It wasn't possible. '_You're perfect'_ were the last words he ever expected Evans to say. Yet there she was, smiling at him and looking relieved.

"Are you talking to me?" Sirius asked, doubtfully.

"Of course! I need you to do me a favor. Will you go to Slughorn's Christmas party with me?"

Sirius almost choked. A fifth year pushed past him, and he banged into a compartment door before straightening himself up. "_Excuse me_?"

Lily sighed in exasperation, looking more like her usual self. "Really Black, are you _thick_? I just asked if you'll go to Slughorn's Christmas party with me. It's tonight, after dinner. I completely forgot, so I don't even have a date."

Sirius was still bewildered. "So, why are you asking _me_? James would jump at the opportunity to go to a party with you. If you haven't noticed already, which I highly doubt, he fancies you."

"I know. I don't want to give him the satisfaction. If I ask him to go on _one_ date, he'll start acting like I'm his girlfriend. But I can't go dateless either, I'll look stupid. So what do you say?" she asked, looking almost desperate.

"Sorry, Evans. I can't go on a date with the girl my best mate fancies."

Lily groaned. "Black, _come on!_ All the boys I know already have dates. Just as friends. I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"How will you make it up to me?"

"Erm… well, the next time you and your mates get into detention, I'll make sure you're let off. How does that sound?"

Sirius raised his eyebrows. It wasn't a bad deal. He wanted to see how far he could push her. "The next _three _times we get into detention, you let us off."

"What? That's absurd."

"It's all I'm offering, take it or leave it. And I'll also have to talk to James. If he doesn't consent, the agreement is cancelled."

Lily hesitated for a few moments, before finally giving in. "_Fine. _Only because I'm desperate. Potter's _your _friend, so you can handle him yourself. Meet me in the common room at 7 before dinner. And for Merlin's sake, don't be late."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle frowned at herself in the mirror, looking at her dress. It was a deep blue, reaching past her knees, but not quite up to her ankles. Modest and not too overdone, she let loose her long, dark hair, setting to work replaiting it.

"I hope you're not getting dressed up like that just for _dinner_," commented Gemma Prince. She was one of Rochelle's fellow sixth –year Slytherins, as well as a dorm-mate. Despite being rather big-mouthed and having an unhealthy taste for gossip, Rochelle had never disliked her. Her family status wasn't very high, though. "People will stare."

"I'm not going to dinner," Rochelle explained, turning to look at Gemma. The girl was sprawled back on her bed, playing with a small locket. "Tonight is Professor Slughorn's Christmas party. Where did you get the locket? It's pretty."

"Harold West gave it to me. Seventh-year Ravenclaw," Gemma replied, before tossing it aside. "Never liked him all that much, but you're right, it's pretty. You're lucky you got invited to Slughorn's party. I wanted to go."

Rochelle shrugged. "You can come with me, if you want. I'm allowed to bring someone, but I don't have a date or anything. I'm sure Professor Slughorn wouldn't mind."

Gemma sat up eagerly. "Really? Wouldn't it be a little odd, though?"

"I don't see why. It's not like we're going to spend time together, I'm just helping you get in."

"Hm. Suppose I'd better find a dress, then."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

"-but it was _such_ a disappointment, so many people went home for the holidays," Professor Slughorn was gushing. He had a glass of some sort of alcohol in his hands, and looked a little flushed already. "So, I decided that I simply must hold it after the holidays, once all the students come back! Much more fun, you know, when everyone's here. Ah! Mr. Bell, there you are! And this lovely young lady must be your date for the evening! How are you my dear?"

Rochelle sighed in relief as Professor Slughorn turned his attention from her. He'd been chattering non-stop for the past ten minutes. Gemma had slipped off with some boy, leaving her alone with the professor. Taking the opportunity to slip away, Rochelle quickly found a seat and removed her uncomfortable shoes to nurse her sore feet.

Slughorn's Christmas party was crowded, and there were too many people around to even move. The loud music and chattering was giving Rochelle a headache, and she was beginning to regret her decision to come. She'd also run into Lucius at the party. He'd been with Narcissa, so she managed to slip by unnoticed, but she knew it wouldn't be long before Lucius confronted her. She'd been avoiding him all Christmas.

"Rochelle, I didn't know you would be here!" Lily Evans greeted, approaching her. She was dressed very elegantly, in a pale green dress that matched her eyes. "_Awful _party, isn't it?"

"Terrible," Rochelle agreed with a smile, quickly putting her heels back on. She shifted so that Lily could sit beside her, before noticing that there was someone else with her. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of Sirius Black. "I see you brought a date."

"He's just a friend. I couldn't find anyone else last minute. Anyway, you know Sirius Black. Black, this is Rochelle Vittori. Just for the sake of introductions," Lily replied, before plopping down beside Rochelle. Sirius sat opposite them both hesitantly.

"What happened to Potter?' Rochelle asked, looking slightly confused. "I thought he'd be eager to go with you."

"Please. As if this night isn't terrible enough. Why don't _you_ have a date? What about that boy you went to Hogsmeade with before Christmas?" Lily demanded.

Rochelle had to suppress a grimace at the thought of Frederick Nott. Sirius was giving her a knowing look, and she felt uncomfortable. "Things didn't work out."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Well, you're welcome to take _my _escort," Lily replied, shooting Black a dirty look. "Girls have been throwing themselves at him all night. I don't even know what they _see_ in you."

Sirius grinned. "Glad you came with me, Evans?"

"No, I'm starting to think I might have had more fun with Potter. Oh! There's Marlene! Excuse me…"

Lily shot out of her seat and ran off towards another Gryffindor girl, pushing past a few other people. Rochelle watched her disappear, before looking at Black uncomfortably. "Perhaps I should go…"

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it," Sirius replied drily. "Why don't you stay? We could make awkward conversation about the weather and this party, and completely ignore the fact that you've both slapped me in the face _and _threatened me with your wand in public."

Rochelle narrowed her eyes. "I hope you're not expecting any apologies."

"From you? You don't come across as the type to feel _remorse_, Vittori."

"Trust me, Black. You don't particularly _inspire _remorse. And I have nothing to feel apologetic about. You deserved everything you got," Rochelle snapped back at him.

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what about Nott? Did _he _deserve everything he got?"

There was a short pause.

"You're trying to get a reaction out of me. Perhaps you hope I'll do something I'll regret if you provoke me enough," Rochelle answered, firmly. "I refuse to fall for it."

"You give me too much credit. I hadn't even thought of that."

Rochelle turned away from him, though she could still feel his gaze on her. His grey eyes were watching her curiously, as though trying to decipher her expression. She shifted uncomfortably. After a few moments of silence, Sirius spoke quietly.

"I apologize for calling your family Death Eaters. They probably didn't deserve it."

Rochelle whirled around in surprise, but his expression was genuine. He was still watching her. Swallowing a lump in her throat, she managed to speak. "I… um, thank you. I probably shouldn't have been so hasty to judge your friends."

He nodded his acceptance, and Rochelle was left unsure of what to say next. Sirius, however, seemed perfectly content to make small talk. "How were your holidays, then? I heard there was some huge party at your home. Or was that the Flints? Don't know, really, it's not as though I keep track."

Rochelle frowned at him, feeling somewhat doubtful. Did Sirius Black really want to _chat_ with her? The idea seemed absurd, but it was happening. Trying to hide her surprise, she cleared her throat. "Um, yes, it was my house. My brother's engagement party. And if you must know, it was a disaster."

Sirius leaned back in his seat casually, stretching his legs out in front of him. Despite wearing stiff dress robes, Rochelle noticed that he seemed very comfortable."Don't tell me. The florist delivered the wrong flowers and so the entire decorations were ruined."

"Excuse me?"

"Happens in muggle films," he muttered, more to himself than Rochelle. She gave him an odd look, but didn't question anything. "What was the problem, then?"

"Since you asked, _your mother_ was the biggest disaster."

Sirius looked neither shocked, nor offended. He raised a hand to smooth his dark hair back and turned to Rochelle with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Oh? What did my darling mother do that ruined your night so?"

Rochelle took the grin on his face as encouragement. She'd been _dying_ to complain about Walburga Black, but her parents had forbidden her to speak of the matter. But here was an opportunity to vent her anger. "First, she turned up unannounced," Rochelle explained, her tone rising slightly with excitement. "And she brought some _atrocious_ coat that looked like a dead animal! I mean, why did she need a coat, anyway? No one puts on a coat when they step into a fire! And then she dared to say that the soot on her dress was from _our _fireplace. And the entire time, she was whining and bitching about the party, as if we weren't there at all!"

Sirius couldn't resist a smile. "That sounds like my mother."

"That wasn't even the worst of it! She knocked over poor Dipsy with her _horrendous _feathers and then she expected me to punish the poor elf for it! She created a big scene, screeching about her stupid dress, and how it was torn. It was a tiny rip!"

"I see. What happened to the elf?"

Rochelle rolled her eyes. "Well the poor thing was trembling in fright, so I told her I wasn't going to punish it. Then she called me an 'insolent little girl' and said I should respect her because she was a guest."

Sirius snorted. "Some guest."

"Exactly! So told her that if she wanted to be treated like a guest, she should act like one. Didn't take it very well."

Rochelle almost shuddered at the memory of how much of a scene had been created. Once she pushed the thought out of her mind, she realized that Sirius was watching her curiously. "What?"

"Nothing. I just didn't think you were capable of something like that."

"Something like what?"

"Being rude to my mother."

Rochelle sighed. "I know, it was stupid of me. But I couldn't help it, she was just so infuriating! My parents were _so _disappointed with me."

Sirius shook his head, holding back a smile. "That's not what I meant. I mean, it takes a lot of courage to stand up to someone as terrifying as my mother. It was rather Gryffindor of you."

There was a pause, which Rochelle broke hesitantly. "I'm not sure what to make of that. Surely you can see how it's difficult for me to take it as a compliment."

Sirius shrugged. "Yes. But surely _you_ can see that coming from me, it was intended to be one."

"Erm, well in that case, _thank you._"

Sirius simply nodded, and Rochelle was left wondering what to say next. She sat uncomfortably, with her ankles neatly crossed and her back straight. She watched the students dancing in the middle of the room for a few moments, before turning back to Sirius. He was giving her an odd look.

"What?" she asked him, frowning.

"Relax, would you? You don't have to sit like there's a stick up your arse all the time," He muttered.

Rochelle was horrified. Her mouth dropped open as she shot him a look of indignation.

"_Pardon me?_"

"Just an observation. Don't throw a fit."

Narrowing her eyes, she couldn't help but notice how _Sirius_ was sitting. His legs were stretched out in front of him, and anybody who walked past would probably trip over them. He was leaning back in the seat comfortably, shoulders slumped and his back curling to fit the cushions on the seat. He looked more like he was relaxing on the beach than sitting at a party.

"I'm afraid not all of us can pull off the lazy manwhore look," she replied simply. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I should be getting back to my common room. Thank you for your company, it's been most _pleasurable_."

Sirius sat up slightly, looking more awake. "Leaving so soon? I understand. Spending even a few seconds in my company can overwhelm a woman."

"With disgust? Certainly."

Rochelle got to her feet and brushed past Sirius's chair, her long braid almost hitting him in the face. She had to push past a few people, but she finally made it out into the corridor. It was deserted, and she took in a deep breath of cool air. Then, glancing back to make sure she was alone, she slipped her heels off her feet, and began to walk back to the Slytherin common room while carrying them in one hand.

"I see. So you won't slouch in public, but you'll walk down the corridors barefoot if you think nobody's looking," a voice called out, sounding amused. Rochelle stopped abruptly, and a few seconds later, Sirius Black stood beside her.

"Are you following me?" she demanded.

"Of course not. I'm just walking a pretty young lady to her common room."

Rochelle forced herself to ignore the compliment, and sighed. "I'm not an idiot, Black. I'm not going to just _show_ you where the Slytherin common room is."

Sirius shoved his hands deep into the packets of his robes, before casually ambling down the corridor. "I find it insulting that you think I don't already know. Now come on. We can't stand here forever, or people might get the wrong idea."

Rochelle followed him hesitantly, heels still swinging from one hand. "I don't care as much about appearances as you seem to think I do."

Sirius glanced back at her, his grey eyes amused. They drifted towards the heels that she was carrying in her left hand. "Do you want help with those?"

Rochelle opened her mouth to tell him she was fine, but then she stopped. He was offering. Who was she to say no? Smiling triumphantly at his surprised expression, she handed them to him simply. "How very kind of you."

Sirius grunted, taking them from her. "Well, as you were saying. If you didn't care about appearances, why come to this party? You weren't enjoying yourself. You just came because Slughorn invites the children of influential people and you had to make an appearance."

He was right. Rochelle frowned, trying to come up with a retort. "Well, it's not as though _you _had any reason for being there."

"Oh, please. Do you think I went with Evans for _fun_? I made a perfectly beneficial deal with her," he replied. "But if that's not a good enough reason for you, fine. Why are you wearing these awful heels?" He held them up and shook them slightly. "They're certainly not comfortable."

"I… they were the only pair that matched perfectly with my dress."

"Why should they have to match at all?"

Rochelle let out an irritated huff. "Well. You may have been disowned, Black, but you're still a lot more like your mother than you think. Both of you seem to enjoy exasperating me and pushing my buttons."

Sirius smiled. The sight caused a slight lurch in Rochelle's stomach, but she quickly looked away from him. "Is that the best you can come up with? Comparing me to my mother? Your insults aren't very creative, Rochelle."

"Don't call me Rochelle."

"Why not? You can call me Sirius, I'm sure we're past formalities."

"I'd rather not."

"Suit yourself. If you ask me, Rochelle's a bit of a mouthful. Don't you have a nickname of some sort?"

"No."

"Liar," Sirius teased. "I've heard Evans call you Elle. In fact, I think it suits you rather well. If you don't mind, Elle, I think I'll call you that from now on."

She glared at him. "Don't you dare."

They'd reached the entrance to the Slytherin common room, and Rochelle turned around to face Sirius. There was a clunk as he dropped her heels on the floor, and stepped closer to her. Instinctively, Rochelle stepped back.

"What will you do, Elle?" he asked softly, taking another step closer, Rochelle walked back again, until she felt the cold dungeon wall behind her.

"W-what are you doing?"

Sirius smirked, stepping still closer. He seemed to enjoy her discomfort, but he was standing so close that Rochelle found herself looking straight at his lips. Tearing her gaze away, she looked up into his amused grey eyes. "Black, step away right now."

He ignored her, lifting a hand to touch her hair. It was tied elegantly back into a braid, and he gently removed one of the pins that was holding back a strand of wavy hair. It fell forward onto her face. "You shouldn't plait it all the time. It would look better loose."

Rochelle's breath was catching in her throat, and she found herself unable to think straight. She forced herself to calm down."Black, s-step away or I'll hex you into tomorrow."

Sirius's hand followed the length of the lock of hair, ending near her shoulder. Then he smiled. "Oh? And how will you do that without your wand? Face it, Elle. You act like you're above the rest of us, but you're just like any other teenage girl. A boy steps close to you, and your hormones go raging."

Rochelle felt her cheeks burn in embarrassment, and she finally managed to push Sirius away. "You're an asshole, Black. You're the one who thinks that you're so attractive, but let's be clear. I'd rather sleep with Frederick Nott than with you."

There was a pause, and Sirius grabbed Rochelle's hand. His eyes had narrowed dangerously. "You don't mean that."

Rochelle bit her lip, worried. She hadn't meant it, not really, but she couldn't admit that now. "I do."

Sirius shook his head. "No, you don't. You don't mean that for a second, and I'll prove it."

"How will you do that?"

He put his hands on both her cheeks, and pulled her face closer to his. Rochelle almost tripped over her feet and the sudden jerk, but she was frozen. His eyes were looking straight into hers, their noses just barely brushing. Rochelle swallowed. His hands were cold on her cheeks, and she could feel herself growing numb. She thought about reaching for her wand, but the idea was fleeting. Sirius had tilted his head slightly, and her mind was blank.

"_What_ is going on?" a voice demanded, and Rochelle's heart almost dropped into her stomach. Sirius released her face, but they were still standing only feet away as Rochelle turned, horrified, and came face-to-face with Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black, standing hand-in-hand.

Narcissa's mouth was slightly open, as Lucius dropped her hand and reached for his wand. He pointed it at Sirius in one swift move. "Step away from her, Black. _Now._"

Sirius tried to reach for his own wand, but Lucius was firm. "Don't even think about it, Black. If you value your life, I suggest you leave _now." _

Sirius seemed to realize the futility of the situation, and dropped his hand. He stepped away from Rochelle, but not before shooting her a meaningful look. "Still worse than Nott?" he asked, before turning around and leaving the corridor. Rochelle watched him go, before turning back to face an angry-looking Lucius.

Rochelle gulped.

**A/N – Sorry for ditching you guys! It's just that this story wasn't getting as many reviews as i wanted it to, so i lost interest for a bit. I promise to try and stay focused! Here's an extra long one as an apology. **

**Review, please! **


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"The nerve of that blood traitor!" Lucius hissed, as he entered the Slytherin common room. Narcissa was clinging onto his arm, and Rochelle followed a few steps behind. Lucius didn't lose his temper often, but if he did, it wasn't a pretty sight. she squeaked in surprise when he whirled around and glared at her. "Did he hurt you? Are you all right? What were you even _doing_ there with him?"

"He walked me back to the common room," Rochelle replied, trying to sound indifferent. "It's not as bad as you think, Lucius. Just leave it alone."

Lucius's blue-grey eyes narrowed at her. "No, apparently it's_worse_ than I thought. Are you defending that blood traitor? He was _violating _you! Or perhaps you wanted him to?"

Rochelle almost choked in indignation. "_Pardon me? _Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"

"Perhaps I am. Do you want to know what that looked like to me, Rochelle? That looked like you alone with a blood traitor in a deserted corridor, about to shame your entire family name! Now if I misunderstood that, then do correct me."

"You're wrong."

"Did he force himself on you? Were you being harassed?"

Rochelle remained silent. _Had _she been harassed? When Sirius had pulled her close, she'd felt anger, and a surge of excitement that she couldn't explain. But she hadn't felt violated. Not that way she had on that train ride when she heard Frederick Nott talking about her.

"Rochelle, answer me!" Lucius yelled, looking angry, "If he violated you, then we're going to Dumbledore this instant! He can't possibly get away with mistreating a woman that easily. I'll write to Father, and-"

"Don't you dare."

Lucius faltered at the venom in her voice. "Pardon?"

"Don't you dare breathe a word of this to your precious father, or to my parents either!" Rochelle hissed. She wasn't sure where the anger was coming from, but she felt an urge to hit Lucius in the face. "If one thing is true, Lucius, it's that Sirius Black isn't the root of all my problems, _you_ are. _You_'re the one who decided that you wanted to find me a suitor and stuck me with Frederick Nott! If you want to suddenly stand up for my honor, then perhaps you should drag _him _to Professor Dumbledore!"

Lucius frowned. "So you finally want to talk about what happened on the train, then? I don't understand why you must make such a big issue out of it. I've apologized, and-"

Rochelle let out a laugh. "Did you? Funny, because all _I_ remember is you telling me that my judgment was poor, and that I should calm down!"

"You are being childish. This is irrelevant. Or perhaps you think that you can use that incident on the train as an excuse to do whatever you please? Because if I see you near Sirius Black again, I'll-"

"What will you do, Lucius?" Rochelle demanded. "Because if you breathe a word to Dumbledore, your parents, mine, _anyone…_ I will tell them what happened on the train. And I'll tell them exactly what you and your friends were discussing. Believe me, when I'm through, you'll be lucky if your father lets you come back to Hogwarts next year."

"Are you threatening me?"

"I am. I'm tired of you thinking that you can control my actions, Lucius. I think it's time you realized that you cannot take me for granted. If you tell tales about me to my parents, then I can do the same with yours. And I think you know who they would chose if it came to believing you over me."

Lucius's face turned a light shade of pink in anger. He looked as though he was trying to stop himself from exploding. After a few moments of silence, he finally spoke up.

"Are you not ashamed of yourself?" he spat.

"It's difficult to feel shame when I'm standing in front of a disgusting human being like you."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

"Oi, Padfoot! Are you coming down to breakfast, or what?" Remus demanded, shaking Sirius's shoulder. Sirius was curled up on his bed, fast asleep and snoring softly. It was almost 8 o'clock, and they had to hurry if they wanted breakfast. "What's wrong with him, today?"

"Leave him," James said cheekily, sitting down on his bed to put on his socks. "Perhaps he's dreaming of Vittori, and what might have happened if Malfoy hadn't barged in."

Sirius rolled over, and pulled down the cover slightly so that his mouth was visible. "Shut your trap. I was just trying to prove a point. Nobody says that they'd rather shag Nott than me, and gets away with it."

"So you _are _awake!" Remus cried. "Get up, now, before you're late for Transfiguration!"

Sirius groaned, and rolled out of bed sleepily. He hadn't even changed out of his dress robes from the previous night, and he pulled them over his head lazily. As he reached for his school uniform, however, something clattered to the floor, making a metallic noise.

"What was that?" James asked, leaning down to pick it up off the floor. He found a small silver pin that had a green flower etched onto it. "Looks fancy, Padfoot. Didn't know you used hairpins."

"S'not mine," Sirius mumbled, while pulling his uniform over his head.

"Of course not. It's Vittori's, isn't it? Maybe the two of you went further than you're telling us…"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Don't be daft."

"Hm. Well, I suppose you want this back?"

"Keep it if you want, I couldn't be bothered less. Now come on, I'm starving. Any idea what's for breakfast?"

The Marauders went down to breakfast, sitting at the Gryffindor table. James slid into the seat right beside Lily, much to her displeasure, and smiled widely.

"Had a nice time at Slughorn's party, Evans? I never got to tell you that you looked absolutely ravishing in that green dress last night. Really brought your eyes out," James commented.

"You're just jealous I didn't ask you to be my date," Lily replied coolly. She barely turned to look at him. "Could you please pass the butter? It's right over there."

James grinned, reaching for the butter. Lily caught a glint of metal in his hand, and reached out to stop it. "What are you holding?" She prized his fingers apart, and looked at the small silver and green pin. "That's beautiful! Where did you get it?"

James didn't reply. He was too preoccupied with the fact that Lily's fingers were currently touching his hand. He looked like he was in heaven, and Lily, realizing her mistake, quickly pulled her hand away. "Stop acting like a fool."

"It's not his," Peter piped up, when it was clear that James was incapable of coherent speech. "Sirius got it off the girl he shagged last night."

Lily made a disgusted face, and Sirius quickly stepped in to defend himself. "I didn't shag her. She just dropped her hair pin and I found it, that's all. Stop being a prick, Peter."

Lily nodded, picking up the pin to examine it closely. She frowned, looking thoughtful, before putting it back down on the table. "Well. You should probably return it, Black. It looks expensive, I'm sure the girl is searching for it."

"Can't," Sirius replied, his mouth full.

"And why not?"

He frowned, trying to think of a good reason why he could not simply walk up to this girl and return her hairpin. "I, uh, dunno her name. Forgot to ask. No clue who she is."

There was a pause, and Lily shook her head in obvious disgust. "_Boys._ Well, I can tell you one thing, this girl is probably in Slytherin. I don't think anyone from any other house would wear the obvious combination of green and silver."

Sirius shrugged, not paying much attention. He didn't need Lily's analysis of who the pin might belong to, he knew perfectly well. He'd pulled it out of Rochelle's hair himself. He wondered what exactly had possessed him to act the way he had last night. He often flirted with girls, certainly, but what he'd been doing with Rochelle was not flirtation. If anything, he'd been trying to satisfy his own ego. Sirius had felt a compulsive need to prove to her that she wasn't above everybody else the way she seemed to think. And he'd succeeded. She wasn't the stone-hearted, invincible person she made herself out to be. All he'd had to do was invade her personal space and she'd turned to mush.

Yet she'd had to nerve to tell him that she'd rather shag Nott. It was absurd, he knew it wasn't true, but it had stung all the same. The idea that anybody, even the perfect little Rochelle Vittori, would prefer Nott over him was a huge blow to his ego. He'd had to prove her wrong. And he would have, if Malfoy hadn't stepped in.

He wondered how Malfoy had reacted after he left. Would he tell Rochelle's parents about what he saw? Would she be in any trouble for associating with him? Sirius told himself that he didn't care. She could handle her precious pureblood parents herself, none of it affected _him._

"Evans, Remus," a soft voice said, and Sirius almost jumped out of his seat. He hadn't noticed anyone approach them, and he was surprised when he saw that Rochelle Vittori was standing opposite him. She was dressed in her school robes, black hair tied back in her usual plait. It was messier today, and something told Sirius that she'd made it in a hurry. Then he forced himself to look away. What was he doing, staring at Vittori's hair?

"Hello, Rochelle," Lily greeted her, with a smile. "Everything all right?"

"Fine. Macmillan asked me to inform you both that there's a prefect meeting today at 5, in the classroom behind the library," she replied. Rochelle's eyes trailed over Lily and Remus, even pausing to look at James and Peter. But they never landed on Sirius. It was as though he wasn't even there.

"Oh," Lily replied. "Do we need to bring anything?"

"Yes, those detention lists that we were asked to make."

Remus nodded, smiling politely at her. "All right. Thank you for informing us, Vittori."

Rochelle nodded in response, before turning to leave the Gryffindor table. Lily, however, called her back.

"Oh, Rochelle, wait! Sirius found this pin last night, do you know who's it might be?" Lily asked, holding up the silver pin. "It looks expensive, and the owner must be looking for it. I thought it might be a Slytherin's by the color."

Rochelle's eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of her pin. Sirius expected her to look at him accusingly, but she didn't. She simply stared at the pin as though she'd never seen it before. "I'm sorry, I don't know. I can ask if anyone's lost one."

"All right. I'll see you at the prefect meeting, then."

"Of course. Goodbye."

And she left, leaving Sirius to stab his food with his fork. Rochelle hadn't glanced at him even once. It was as though nothing had happened last night, and she barely knew him. He watched her walk out of the Great hall, her long plait swinging over her shoulder. He was forced out of his trance when James jabbed him with his elbow.

"Didn't get enough, Padfoot?" he asked teasingly, in a low voice.

Sirius grunted in annoyance.

**A/N – Aww, reviews! I swear, I want to give all my readers a big teddy bear hug. Thank you so much for reviewing!**

**I know nothing much **_**happened**_** in this chapter, it was more of an expression of feelings. Sorry it's short, I'll put another one up soon. **

**As SiriusOrionBlack22 suggested, I really do want to put Regulus into this story, but all the ideas I have involve him being REALLY out of character. Can you think of any way to include him more? **

**I, personally, wouldn't worry too much about the tension between Lucius and Rochelle. As I said, I'm determined to make him a balanced character with good and bad shades. Maybe the good hasn't shown up much until now, but… just wait. **

**You know what? I have a lot of trouble in the scenes where Peter is involved. Is it just me, or is it impossible to imagine what he was like at Hogwarts? I can't make him say something without feeling like he's out of character. And if he says nothing, he kind of blends into the background. Which isn't fair. He's a Marauder too. Urgh! Peter, you're driving me nuts!**

**Anyway, enjoy! And review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Rochelle Vittori sat alone in a corner of the Potions classroom, waiting for the lesson to start. It was no surprise that Professor Slughorn was late; he never quite seemed to know what time it was. Once, in her fourth year, he'd forgotten that he had a class entirely and hadn't turned up the entire period.

"Hello, there! Why so gloomy?" Gemma Prince greeted cheerfully, sitting down beside Rochelle. "You don't mind me sitting here, do you?"

"Of course not," Rochelle replied, forcing a smile. She wasn't in the mood for conversation, but Gemma had always been nice to her and she didn't want to seem rude. "How are you?"

"Fine," Gemma replied, dropping her bag beside her, and yanking out her Potions textbook. "I wanted to thank you for getting me into Slughorn's party last night. I had an _amazing_ time. And Patrick Keynes asked me to Hogsmeade next weekend."

Rochelle wasn't surprised. Gemma was the sort of girl whose uniform skirt was much shorter than the school's regulation length, and she liked to flip her silky blonde hair whenever she got the chance. She was also obsessed with boys. She'd dated most of the Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin boys in her year. There were rumors about her having an affair with an unnamed Gryffindor, but Gemma always denied those. It was just as well. She'd be treated as a traitor by the rest of her housemates.

"What about you?" Gemma asked, casually. "Had a nice time?"

Rochelle shrugged. "It was boring. I left early."

"Hm. Well, the problem is that you don't have a man. No offense, but that cousin of yours, Malfoy? He sort of scares them away, if you ask me," Gemma replied. "Have you _any _experience with boys?"

Rochelle frowned, feeling rather embarrassed. It was true that the closest she'd ever been to a boy was Sirius Black, the previous night. But to be honest, she'd never really thought that courting a boy while in Hogwarts was necessary. What was the point? Once she graduated, her parents would find her a suitor, and she'd be married. "I, erm, went out with Frederick Nott once."

Gemma looked horrified. "No! Oh Rochelle, no wonder you stay away from boys! The only one you've ever been with is a complete pig!"

She frowned. So apparently _everyone_ knew that Nott was a dirty prick except for her. How could she have been so stupid?

Gemma opened her mouth to say something else, but she was cut off by a presence at their table. Rabastan Lestrange was standing there with his bag slung over his shoulder. His light brown hair curled slightly at the ends, and he had a pleasant smile on his face. "Good morning, Rochelle. I was hoping to sit with you, today."

Rochelle was surprised. What did Rabastan want with her? Slightly disturbed, she turned to glance at Gemma.

"Oh!" Gemma cried, looking between Rabastan and Rochelle, and seeing something that wasn't there. "I didn't realize- Rochelle, you never told me- I'll just go, shall I?"

"Of course not," Rochelle replied, glancing at Gemma meaningfully. "I'm sorry, Rabastan. But there's a seat a few rows behind, if you'd like."

Rabastan's smile faltered but he nodded. "Of course. I'll speak to you afterwards, then, Rochelle."

He walked away, and Gemma let out a soft squeak of pleasure. "Rochelle, you little sneak! Rabastan Lestrange? You never told me! And here I was, pitying you… he's _gorgeous_!"

"It's not like that," Rochelle answered firmly. Rabastan was good-looking, perhaps, but she'd hardly use the word _gorgeous_ to describe him. Then again, Gemma didn't seem to have particularly high standards. "He's a friend of Lucius'. I hardly know him."

"Then _get_ to know him! Oh you silly girl, you wouldn't know a perfect guy if he was staring you in the face! If you don't take him, _I _will!"

After that particular Potions class, Rochelle vowed to never sit beside Gemma Prince again. Rabastan was all she could talk about the entire period, and Rochelle had found it almost impossible to concentrate on her potion. As a result, they'd both received an A, the first one Rochelle had gotten in the subject all year. She wasn't pleased.

As Rochelle exited the classroom, a small piece of paper shaped like a flying bird floated down in front of her. Startled, she held out her palm, and the paper landed in it perfectly, unfolding itself. Glancing around curiously to see if anybody was looking at her, she picked up the paper and flipped it over to reveal writing. It read:

_Meet me in the Owlery during lunch if you want your stupid hairpin back. _

Irritated, Rochelle crushed the paper in her hand. How dare he? He was the one who took the pin from her, and now he called it stupid? She thought about not going, just to irritate him, but then decided against it. After all, the hairpin was hers. He had no right to keep it.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

"Classic trick, if you ask me," James commented, as they walked down to the Great Hall for lunch. "Steal something from the girl so that she has to meet you to get it back? Happens in all the muggle movies."

"I didn't steal it," Sirius retorted, irritably. "I forgot that I even had it, all right? And besides, she doesn't care. You saw how she acted at breakfast this morning."

"Aww, is poor Sirius hurt that Vittori ignored him?" James continued teasing. "Did she hurt your feelings, Padfoot?"

Sirius just shook his head. James would make fun of anything he said anyway, so it was better to stay silent. After a few moments of quiet, Peter piped up.

"But why the Owlery?" he asked, curiously. "She's in your Potions class, you could have given it to her then."

"Sure, if I wanted Malfoy to hex me," Sirius snapped. "You'd think the bloke would get a life, and stop stalking his cousin around everywhere."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "I don't blame him, Sirius. He's like a brother to Rochelle. If you had a sister, and you saw her with someone like Snape or Malfoy, wouldn't you throw a fit?"

"If I had a sister, I'd tell her to shag whoever she likes."

The four boys fell silent, as the sight of food greeted them in the Great Hall. They sat down quickly, Sirius stuffing whatever he could into his mouth before he had to head off to the Owlery. He swallowed a few mouthfuls, made sure that the hairpin was safely in his pocket, and then left.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle was out of breath by the time she'd managed to climb up the stairs to the Owlery. Honestly. Couldn't Black have thought of a better place to meet? She'd never been a large fan of physical activity, and she'd only been to the Owlery once or twice. She had her own owl, and the food she fed it was far better than anything Hogwarts provided to the school owls. So why would she ever have to come up here?

She paused, taking a few deep breaths so that she didn't look like an idiot. Once she'd composed herself, she entered the Owlery loudly. As expected, Sirius was standing there alone, his back to her as he tied something to an owl's leg. She cleared her throat to get his attention.

"All right, Black, I climbed all the way up here. So just hand it over."

"Pardon? Hand what over?" a voice asked, sounding confused. It certainly wasn't the voice she expected to hear, and Rochelle paused in surprise as the person in front of her turned around. She was standing face to face not with Sirius Black, but his younger brother.

"Regulus?" she asked, eyes widening. He nodded, calmly. "But, I thought that…did _you_ write me that note, then?"

"I never wrote you any note," Regulus replied. He finished tying his envelope to the owl, and carried it over to the window. "Were you expecting to see someone else here? But you said my name, so that must mean…"

Rochelle froze, wishing she had kept silent. How could she have mistaken Regulus for Sirius? They both had the same black hair, but there were very few other similarities between them. But why was he here anyway? And where was Sirius?

The door to the Owlery opened, and Sirius Black walked in, confidently. He slowed down, as soon as he saw not one, but two people standing in front of him.

"Brother," Regulus greeted, not looking surprised in the slightest. He'd already figured out what was going on. His eyes flickered between Sirius and Rochelle's confused faces. "Well, it appears that I'm intruding. Excuse me…"

Sirius gave Regulus a hard look, as he walked towards the exit of the Owlery. Rochelle watched him leave as well, torn. He had the completely wrong idea! What if he told someone? Unable to resist, she called out to him. "Regulus, wait!"

Regulus paused, turning to Rochelle. "Yes?"

"You… it's not what it looks like. He just had to return something he borrowed from me, we're not… that is, I mean to say…" Rochelle turned slightly red, realizing that she was making the situation worse than it already was.

"I understand perfectly," Regulus replied, the corner of his mouth turning up in a small smile. "You have my silence. I wish you both a good day."

And he left.

Rochelle frowned, feeling irritated. Why was this happening to her? First Lucius, and then Regulus. It seemed that everyone seemed to be misunderstanding her, and it was all because of Black.

"Well, that was unpleasant," Sirius commented, once his brother had gone. "Would it make a difference if I said that I didn't know he would be here?"

"Hardly," Rochelle replied, coldly. "But if your brother says a _word _to anyone about-"

"Regulus won't. He knows how to mind his own business."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake. The more time I spend with you, the worse everything seems to get. If you'd just return my hairpin, I'd like to leave," Rochelle said, holding out her hand. Sirius frowned, but fished it out of his pocket and handed it to her. She examined it, before lifting her eyes to glare at him. "You broke it."

Sirius frowned. "What? No, I didn't."

"Look," she snapped, stepping closer to show him the hairpin. The small silver clasp was bent slightly, resulting in the pin being unable to snap shut the way it was supposed to. Sirius grabbed it from her, and held it up to his eyes. "I didn't do that."

"I see. _First_, you misbehave with me and get me into trouble with Lucius. _Then_ you make me climb all the way up here just to give your brother the completely wrong impression about us, which, if he wanted to, he could tell the whole school about. And _now_ you break my favourite hairpin. Do you see how you're making my life miserable?"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Please, you're over-reacting about-"

"Don't you dare tell me that I'm over-reacting. Do you know how valuable this hairpin is?" Rochelle demanded. "My mother will throw a _fit_ if she finds out I broke something so expensive-"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, I'll get you another one-"

"You can't get me another one! It's goblin-made, it was among my grandmother's last-"

"Well, if it's goblin-made, maybe it shouldn't have broken so easily!"

Rochelle glared at him, finding it difficult to control her anger. Sirius looked annoyed. He held up the hairpin, waving it in her face. "Do you really love this pin?"

"Of course."

"Well, then." He stepped away from her, going toward the window of the Owlery. Rochelle followed him, curious, until he pulled his arm back, and flung it out of the window as far as he could. It disappeared in an instant, and Rochelle stared, horrified.

"There. It's gone, problem solved."

Rochelle saw red. She ran over to the window, leaning out of it to see where the pin had fallen. She could see nothing below, and pulled out her wand, desperately trying to cast a spell to bring it back.

"I wouldn't bother. It's probably at the bottom of the lake," Sirius commented casually. Rochelle whirled around to face him.

"How-dare-you! You disgusting, worthless, _imbecile_! What possessed you to throw it off the _Owlery window_?" she demanded, poking her wand into his chest. "I should just push you off here myself!"

"You seem to like threatening me with your wand," Sirius commented, reaching down to pull it gently away from his chest. "But look at it this way. It's broken. And if it's _really_ goblin-made, then I doubt any spell could fix it. So, honestly, you're better off without it."

Rochelle lowered her wand slowly. The expression of anger disappeared off her face, and it was replaced with one of helplessness. For a moment, Sirius thought that she was going to cry. She simply put her wand back into her robes, and turned away from him, walking out of the Owlery without a word.

Sirius stared after her. What was that?

**A/N – Well, there's Regulus for you! Don't worry, this isn't the end of him. I've got a vague idea about how to fit him into my plotline. Any other suggestions? I'd love to know what you guys want to see more, or less of!**

**Okay, I need some help. Truthfully, it's been a while since I read the books and I don't remember Andromeda Black too well. Can anyone tell me if she met Ted Tonks in Hogwarts, or did they meet afterwards? I can't figure it out for the life of me. **

**Reviews, reviews, reviews! The last chapter got very few. :(**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"Ugh. Quidditch. I just don't understand what these boys see in it. It's a sport. It's meant to be _played, _not worshipped!" Lily complained, as she and Rochelle walked past the Quidditch pitch the next evening. The Gryffindors were practicing for the first Quidditch match of the term. It was Gryffindor versus Slytherin, and both teams were equally determined to win.

"Evans!" James Potter called out cheerfully. He was sitting on the grass in his red and gold robes, with his broom in front of him. There was some sort of a broomstick kit open, and he seemed to be servicing his broom. "Couldn't resist the sight of me in my Quidditch robes?"

"Hardly," Lily muttered, as they walked past him. "Let me know once that Quaffle-sized head of yours has deflated a little bit."

James sobered up instantly. "Hey, I'm sorry! Will you go to Hogsmeade with me, this weekend?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I've got studying to do. There's a Charms test on Monday."

"But if you didn't, would you go with me?"

Lily rolled her eyes slightly. "Probably. But it doesn't matter, because I won't. Just bugger off, Potter."

Rochelle ignored their bickering, glancing around the pitch. Most of the Gryffindor players were taking laps, and she spotted Sirius Black among them. She tore her gaze away, however, as a faint smell wafted towards her by the wind. She wrinkled her nose. She'd smelled that before.

"What's that smell?" she asked Lily, interrupting her yelling at James.

"What smell?"

"That… odd, stinging smell. It smells like varnish or something."

Lily took a deep breath and frowned. "I smell it too. Why?"

Rochelle shook her head. Where had she smelled this before? It took her a few seconds, but she suddenly remembered. It was the Amortentia! This was the third smell from the Amortentia that Slughorn had brewed in Potions last term!

James was watching both the girls curiously. "Is it this?" he asked, holding up a small container filled with brown cream. He'd been spreading it on his broom, and he handed it to Rochelle. She took a sniff and nodded.

"Yes, this is it," she replied, examining the container. "What is it?"

"Broomstick polish," James replied simply. "Not the normal kind, this one's more expensive. It's supposed to make your broomstick shine, without making the grip too slippery. It's absolutely _awful_ when you put too much polish on, and your hands slip off the broom. But this sort doesn't do that. Smells like horse dung, though."

"Where do you get it?" she demanded.

"It's Sirius's, he's the only one that uses this polish. You can ask him, he loves it. It was a gift from someone, it's not even sold in stores," James commented lightly, taking the polish back. He put it into the kit, and then smiled up at Evans. "I'll see you Saturday, then?"

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Pardon me?"

"Saturday? Hosmeade?"

"I just said no."

James smiled up at her, unable to hold back a grin. "You said you would come if you didn't have to study. You should know that Monday's charms test was cancelled yesterday- Professor Flitwick is in the Hospital Wing with the chills."

Lily's face drained of all color. "What? No, I didn't- But that wasn't meant to mean…"

"See you on Saturday, Evans!" James cried out cheerfully, before closing the service kit and picking up his broom. He walked away, grinning from ear-to-ear. Lily looked horrified.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

As Rochelle entered her common room later that night, she came face-to-face with Lucius Malfoy. He was sitting on a couch near the entrance to the common room, deep in thought. When she entered, however, his eyes snapped up to her, and he stood.

"Rochelle. Where have you been?" Lucius asked. His tone wasn't angry, merely concerned. It was for that reason that Rochelle decided to reply instead of ignoring him.

"I was studying in the library," she lied. In reality, she'd been sitting in the courtyard with Lily Evans, while her friend complained about how James Potter had tricked her into agreeing to go to Hogsmeade with him. But Rochelle wasn't about to tell Lucius that. It was bad enough that he thought she was having an affair with a blood traitor, she didn't need him finding out about her muggle-born friend now.

"Well, I've been waiting for you to return," Lucius replied. "I was hoping we could talk about yesterday's misunderstanding."

Rochelle frowned. She wasn't in the mood to discuss Sirius Black, but Lucius looked rather apologetic. She decided to give him a chance.

"All right."

"I think we both know that I was… rather harsh with you last night. I said some things that I shouldn't have. I need you to understand that it was Black that I was angry at, not you," Lucius admitted. "It was never my intention to offend or accuse you of anything."

Rochelle sighed, sitting down on the couch slowly. She was angry at Lucius, certainly, but she'd never expected him to apologize. Of course, he hadn't said the words 'I'm sorry' directly, but it was as close to them as he would ever get.

"I know," she muttered. "You were angry, I can understand that. So was I."

Lucius nodded looking slightly relieved. He sat down beside her. "I was only worried about you, Rochelle. Associating with the likes of Sirius Black… you're a clever girl. Surely you can see that it's a dangerous, if not a foolish idea."

Rochelle nodded, lifting her eyes to look at him. _I know_, she thought, feeling slightly ashamed. She had no right to be angry at Lucius when she was the one who'd been stupid enough to let Black play around with her. The irritation she'd felt for Lucius disappeared into a feeling of cold shame. "I'm not associating with him," she said firmly. "You don't have to worry about me, Lucius. I-I can handle Sirius Black."

As she said the words, however, she knew that they weren't true. She couldn't handle Sirius Black, and what was worse was that she couldn't handle _herself _around him. She'd frozen when he stepped near her, she'd lost all rational thought and self-control. She shuddered to think of what might happen if she was put into the same situation again.

_And that stupid broomstick polish_, she thought to herself, irritably. She'd wondered about that smell for a long time, and it was a horrible moment when she realized that it was associated with Sirius. It was _his_ broomstick polish, one that nobody else used, according to Potter. She was shaken from her thoughts, however, when Lucius spoke again.

"You're too innocent for your own good," he muttered, shaking his head. "Rochelle, what I did was… wrong, to put it mildly. I failed in my responsibility to protect you from Nott, and I won't let that happen again. Promise me that if Black bothers you, you'll tell me."

Rochelle couldn't resist a smile. That was just like Lucius- to turn everything into a duty, or a responsibility. "I'll be fine, Lucius."

"But you'll tell me? That blood traitor betrayed his own family, Rochelle, I don't trust him around you for a moment. Promise me that if anything else happens, you'll come to me."

"I will."

He smiled slightly, nodding. "All right. You look tired, get some sleep. I want to see you at the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match tomorrow. Potter and Black won't know what hit them."

Rochelle nodded. "I hope you win, Lucius. Tell Rabastan and the rest of your team I wish them good luck."

"I'm sure Rabastan would like to hear that."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle Vittori had never liked crowds much. It was no surprise that the loud Quidditch pitch, with the screaming students and the noisy chatter, wasn't her favorite place to be.

She'd brought a book with her to read, but a few people had given her astonished looks when she took it out halfway through the match. In the end, she closed it, realizing that she looked stupid. Nobody else was reading a novel while the biggest match of the term was happening. The rest of the students were sitting on the edges of their seats, but Rochelle didn't see the point. In a couple of weeks, this match would be forgotten. Why was it such a big deal?

Gemma Prince and a few other Slytherin girls had joined her, when they saw that she was sitting alone. But Rochelle hadn't been required to make much conversation. They spent the entire match discussing which boy's windblown-hair looked the best. Rochelle only listened to a few snippets of the conversation, but from what she heard, they'd narrowed it down to Regulus Black and Marcus Avery.

Slytherin was down by 40 points, when someone finally saw the snitch. Both James Potter and Regulus Black were after it at once. Most of the chasers stopped what they were doing to watch the two black-headed boys racing each other. Sirius grabbed his bat, and tried to send a Bludger towards his brother, but it wasn't working.

Even Rochelle found that she was sitting on the edge of her seat. It was impossible to predict who would capture the snitch first, the Seekers were so evenly matched. Everyone was watching the game so intently, that nobody really noticed when Rabastan Lestrange picked up a beater's bat, and sent a bludger straight to the back of Sirius Black's head.

Regulus caught the snitch at the same moment that the bludger connected with Sirius' unsuspecting head. There were screams of triumph as well as despair.

One Black was holding up a Snitch victoriously, while the other plummeted 40 feet to the ground.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle approached the cheering Slytherin team to congratulate them on their win. Most of the Gryffindors looked extremely dejected, and the majority had crowded around the spot where Sirius Black had fallen. There were so many people around him, that Rochelle couldn't even catch a glimpse.

Before she could even try, however, a large figure approached her and enveloped her in a hug. Startled, Rochelle stiffened before realizing that Rabastan Lestrange was hugging her. Before she could process the thought, however he'd released her and was smiling widely.

"Wasn't that brilliant? I can't believe we won!" he cried, excitedly. Rochelle frowned in response.

"What made you hit Black?" she demanded. Sirius hadn't even been doing anything, and she couldn't fathom why Rabastan had chosen that moment to hit him. "Isn't that against the rules? You're a Chaser, not a Beater!"

Rabastan's smile faltered. "It's not explicitly mentioned. And how does it matter? We won, anyway, didn't we?"

Rochelle nodded, deciding not to push the argument further. She didn't want to seem like she was protecting Black. To be honest, she didn't care about what happened to him, but Rabastan's actions had seemed somewhat underhanded. Then again, who was she to complain? They were Slytherins, it was in their very definition to get what they wanted, no matter the means. Any noble actions were left to the Gryffindors.

"Rabastan! Wonderful game!" Lucius called out, approaching him. He shook Rabastan's hand happily. "Went exactly as planned, eh?"

Rabastan agreed happily, before letting out a yelp of pain, and removing his hand from Lucius's. "Sorry, my wrist… I think it's sprained. I'm not used to holding a beater's bat…"

Lucius looked concerned. "Well that's no good. I think you should go to the Hospital Wing, I'd hate for you to suffer from an injury. Rochelle, would you take him there? I need to speak to some of the other players."

Rochelle agreed reluctantly, and started to walk with Rabastan to the Hospital Wing. It wasn't a very long walk, and Rabastan was content to discuss the highlights of the game with Rochelle on the way there. He seemed very excited, and Rochelle found it contagious. By the time they reached the Hospital Wing, she couldn't resist smiling with him as well. Rabastan could be very charming when he wanted to be.

The two of them entered the Hospital Wing, but there was no sight of Madame Pomfrey. It was entirely deserted, except for a small fourth year boy lying on one of the beds with a pink face. He watched them nervously.

"Where's Madame Pomfrey?" Rochelle asked the boy. He sat up slightly, and sniffed before replying.

"She went down to the Quidditch pitch. Apparently Sirius Black was hurt."

Rabastan nodded, a bit of smugness making its way into his tone. "Yes, Black was injured rather badly. Perhaps we should come back later, then?"

Rochelle shook her head. "No, what if your hand becomes worse? You won't be able to play Quidditch, and Lucius would murder me. It's just a sprain, if only I could find the milliweed cream…"

Rabastan waited patiently, while Rochelle opened a few of Madame Pomfrey's medicine cabinets, muttering to herself. He was surprised- she really seemed to know what she was doing. He couldn't differentiate one potion from another, himself. He wondered where she'd learned about medicines.

"There's no milliweed," Rochelle muttered, returning with a small tube of thick, yellow paste. "But I found primgrass, and they have almost identical properties so I'm sure it should do the job."

Rabastan frowned. "Are you sure? Perhaps we should wait for Madame Pomfrey to return…"

"No, trust me, it'll work." Rochelle grabbed Rabastan's wrist, and spread the cream onto it slowly. She moved her fingers in small, perfect circles, and within seconds his skin had absorbed the cream. Surprised, he slowly rotated his wrist, feeling no pain.

"Well. You're good at this," he complimented, and Rochelle looked pleased. She closed the tube, and was about to return it to the cabinet, when Madame Pomfrey walked in, helping Sirius Black to a bed. She made sure he laid down, before turning to look at the two Slytherins.

"Well? What are you two doing here?" she asked.

"He sprained his wrist," Rochelle explained. "I put some primgrass cream on it. I hope that's all right."

Madame Pomfrey was surprised, and stepped closer to inspect Rabastan's wrist. "That was some quick thinking, Miss. Vittori. I, personally, would have applied milliweed instead."

"I couldn't find any."

She blushed slightly as Madame Pomfrey nodded, looking impressed. She let go of Rabastan's wrist, and smiled at Rochelle. "Well, I've never met a student who knows what milliweed is, let alone how to use it. Do you intend to become a Healer, dear?"

Rochelle looked startled. "I, erm, I don't know."

"Well, if you do, be sure to let me know. It would be a pleasure to write a recommendation for a bright young girl like you. Now Mr. Lestrange, I think you should be all right, but I'd suggest applying some more paste if the pain returns. I'll get you an extra tube, wait here for a moment…"

Madame Pomfrey bustled into a storage room at the back, leaving Rabastan and Rochelle alone. Sirius was sitting on the bed, watching them curiously.

"What a stupid woman," Rabastan commented harshly, once Madame Pomfrey was out of earshot. "Doesn't she know that you're a pureblood? Suggesting that you become a _healer…" _

Rochelle's expression hardened, and she narrowed her eyes at Rabastan. "And why shouldn't I?"

"Well, because you're from one of the purest bloodlines there are and you're a woman. You don't need to _work_ to earn money for yourself," Rabastan replied, as though it was obvious. "Really, imagine being a Healer, working among all those sick people in those terrible conditions. Your fortune is nowhere near miserable enough for that."

Rochelle felt her throat constrict. "And if I wanted to work as a Healer?"

Rabastan was surprised. "Why on earth would you _want_ to? Rochelle, you will marry a man who is perfectly capable of taking care of you financially. What would possess you to want to work at all, much less as a Healer? I'm sure any potential suitor would run if you told him of these passing fancies of yours."

"Perhaps I'm better off without him, then," she muttered, angrily. She wasn't sure if Rabastan heard her, but Sirius Black was giving her a knowing look from where he was lying on the bed. Resisting the urge to squirm, she turned away from him.

**A/N – I'm back again! Hope you lot aren't getting bored of me!**

**I personally think the part describing the Quidditch match sucks, so I apologize. I'm awful at describing action scenes or sports or anything like that. When I write, dialogue is the most important thing to me. So sorry about that. **

**Thanks for the advice on the last chapter! I guess most of us agree that Andromeda and Ted met during Hogwarts, so I'm going with that. **

**While I was writing this, I could just picture what Mad-Eye Moody might have done if he saw Rabastan hit Sirius from behind. He'd probably turn him into a rat!**

**I hope you guys don't hate Rabastan TOO much. He's just insensitive, not evil. NONE of my characters are evil. That right is reserved for Lord Voldemort only. Making any other character evil would be disrespecting the greatest bad guy of all time. **

**Review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 **

Rochelle smiled, clutching the letter that she'd just received from her parents. Her owl, a pretty light brown thing called Amber, was nibbling on a few treats in her cage. Rochelle tossed Amber one last treat before flopping down onto her bed.

She usually loved receiving letters from her parents. When she first came to Hogwarts, they would write at least once a week. Her mother's handwriting would fill one side of the paper, and her father's the other. As she grew older, the letters became less frequent. Rochelle supposed it was just as well- they'd always expected a detailed description of her life, they always wanted to know how she was and what she was doing. Although it had been exhausting to write out every little thing that happened to her, she still considered herself lucky. Lucius's parents wrote to him once a month at most, and only when they had something to tell him.

Amber hooted, just as Rochelle opened the letter up. "Oh, shoo. You've had enough to eat," Rochelle told the owl, which hooted once again before disappearing out of the window. Ignoring it, she unfolded the letter.

_Rochelle, dear,_

_How are you? Your Father and I hope that your studies are going well, and that you're doing fine. I apologize for not writing to you sooner- we've been busy with preparations for your brother's wedding. We've fixed a summer date, and there's plenty to do. It's going to be a large event. Carmella has many wonderful ideas for the bridesmaid dresses, and I will hopefully be able to send you a sketch with my next letter. _

_Is your cousin Lucius doing well? I noticed over Christmas that the two of you seemed to be avoiding each other. We're all rather worried about him, Rochelle. He's been a wonderful brother to you, and perhaps it's time that you returned the favor. Talk to him, will you, and make sure he's all right? His parents haven't heard from him recently, and they're concerned. Ask him to write home. _

_Your father has also asked me to discuss something else with you. As you already know, we've been looking for suitors for you. But your father and I married out of love, and we understand it's value. I'm asking you, Rochelle, as a mother, if there is anyone that you'd like to tell me about. Don't be afraid, dear. You're a wonderful, smart young woman with a strong sense of judgment. I hope to hear from you soon on this matter. _

_Take care, dear. _

Rochelle set the letter aside and leaned back, thoughtfully. Why was everyone so convinced that she might be courting someone? She'd never spoken about any of the boys at Hogwarts with her parents, and they had no reason to think that she was interested in anyone. She wondered if Lucius had said anything that might give them the idea.

Lucius. What was wrong with him? He'd seemed fine to her, so why was her mother so worried? Had he some sort of a disagreement with his parents? Slowly sliding out of her bed, she decided to go talk to him. She pulled a robe around and her and slid down to the Slytherin common room, where she assumed he would be.

The common room was full on a Saturday night, and many people were sitting in groups and chatting. She spotted a few of Lucius' friends talking near the fire, but he was nowhere to be seen. She considered approaching the group of boys to ask where he was, but decided against it. After the incident on the train, she'd vowed to stay away from Lucius' friends.

Instead, she spotted Narcissa Black standing a little further away, with another girl. Rochelle approached both of the girls, forcing a smile onto her face.

"Oh, hello Rochelle," Narcissa greeted politely. "Um, you've met my sister, Andromeda, haven't you?"

Rochelle nodded at Andromeda Black. She'd never spoken to her much, but they were in the same year, and had a few classes together. Andromeda was a quiet girl with a kind smile, and Rochelle had always liked her, despite not knowing her well.

"Of course," Rochelle answered. "It's nice to see you, Andromeda. I was wondering if either of you knew where my cousin, Lucius is?"

Andromeda shrugged, while Narcissa frowned slightly. "Well… he was downstairs until a few moments ago, when his owl came with a letter. I think it was from his parents. He went up to his dorms after that."

Rochelle bit her lip. So there _was_ something odd going on. She forced herself to smile at both Andromeda and Narcissa. "I see. Thank you." Rochelle turned to leave, but Narcissa stopped her.

"Is… everything all right with Lucius? He's been behaving oddly ever since the Christmas holidays. I never knew him all that well before, so I was just wondering."

"I don't know. I'm going to find out, but I'm sure he's fine."

Narcissa nodded, and Rochelle said goodbye to both of the sisters before slowly walking towards the stairs to the boys dorms. She'd never actually been inside before, although they were allowed. She took a deep breath, before beginning to climb. After all, she knew plenty of girls that went up to the boys dormitories regularly.

The stairs were narrow, and she quickly reached an empty landing. There was a long corridor, with doors on both sides. Frowning, Rochelle wondered how she was going to find Lucius. She couldn't barge into all the rooms, and there were too many doors anyway. She thought about calling out, but decided against it. It was eerily silent, and Rochelle didn't have the courage to make any sort of noise.

Luckily, a small second year boy came out of one of the rooms, just then. He seemed startled at the sight of her, but she quickly smiled at him. "Hello there. Do you know which room is Lucius Malfoy's?"

The boy stiffened at the name, but nodded. He pointed to the third door on the right, before quickly pushing past her and running down the stairs. Rochelle couldn't resist the urge to roll her eyes. Lucius probably scared the younger boys for fun.

Walking over to the door, she knocked on it softly and received no response. She waited outside for a moment, and then slowly pushed the door. It creaked open and revealed a long room with four-poster beds lined up on either side. They were all empty but one, and Rochelle breathed a sigh of relief when she recognized the white-blonde hair.

"Lucius, there you are!" she greeted. Lucius, who'd been sitting on his bed, jumped at the sound.

"Rochelle?" he demanded, confused. There was the sound of rustling paper as he quickly shoved something under his pillow and turned to face her. "What are you doing? You shouldn't be here."

"I'm allowed," Rochelle replied, stepping closer until she was standing in front of his bed. She scrutinized Lucius's face. He looked pale and rather disturbed. "Lucius, what's wrong? My mother wrote me saying that your parents are worried about you and that you haven't been writing back to them. Is everything all right?"

Lucius glared at her slightly. "It's none of your business. Your mother shouldn't have said anything to you. Leave me alone."

"But she did," Rochelle replied. She wondered what had brought on the drastic change. After Slytherin's Quidditch win that morning, almost all the members of her house had seemed to be in a good mood. "Lucius, you know you can talk to me. I won't say anything to them, you know that."

Lucius's face fell, and for a moment, she could see that he looked almost broken. Surprised, she sat down on the edge of the bed and looked straight at him. "I… I can't tell you about it," Lucius muttered. "Your father asked me not to, he thinks you aren't ready yet. I agree. You shouldn't have to worry about things like this."

Rochelle huffed derisively. "Please. I'm not a _child_ Lucius, I'm the same age as you. What could possibly have you so worried that needs to be kept from me?"

Lucius shook his head, his voice cracking slightly. "No. It's bad enough that I have to deal with it, if you were involved…" He looked up at her, his blue eyes piercing into hers. "It's a dangerous world, Rochelle. I need to protect my family and that means being on the right side, no matter what. I can't let anything happen to them. I want to make them proud."

"Lucius, of _course_ your parents are proud of you. You're a wonderful son to them, they know that! What more could you possibly do?"

Lucius shuddered slightly, and Rochelle watched in shock as he pulled his hands up to cover his face. He was trembling. She quickly moved towards him, putting a hand on his shoulder and whispered words of comfort to calm him down. "Shh, don't worry. It's all right, calm down."

"You don't understand, I never thought- the things I saw that night… What if I'm not strong enough? What if I do something wrong, and my parents have to suffer for it? What if…" the rest of his words were inaudible, as he let out a strangled, choking noise. Rochelle felt something hollow in her gut and she threw her arms around his shoulders, desperately trying to stop his trembling.

"I'm scared, Rochelle," he sobbed.

And sitting there, watching her strong, invincible cousin succumb to his fears, Rochelle was scared too.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

"I'm going to hex that bloody bastard. He's going to regret ever being born."

Sirius had to admit, James Potter's angry rants were making him feel slightly better. His friends had come to visit him in the Hospital Wing after his fall during the Quidditch match, and James was sitting beside him while plotting different ways to murder Rabastan Lestrange. The idea was rather appealing.

"James, relax," Remus told him. He was sitting nearby, with a few sheets of parchment in his hands. He'd brought Sirius all the homework that he'd missed because of not attending class, but Sirius hadn't even glanced at it. There was no way he would sit in the Hospital Wing and do homework. "People get hurt all the time during Quidditch. Don't you remember the time Sirius hit you with his bat in first year? You didn't complain then."

James frowned. "Of course I didn't. We were first years, and besides, Sirius is a Beater. He's _allowed _to handle the bat, unlike Lestrange. I can't believe nobody even noticed!"

Sirius nodded. "I agree, he shouldn't be allowed to hold a bat. Do you know what he did later? Pretended to sprain his wrist and made a big scene out of it so he could get attention from Vittori."

James snorted. "Little bastard."

Remus rolled his eyes. "Like you've never pretended to be hurt in the hopes that Lily would notice you."

Sirius laughed, as James' face went slightly red. "Mate, you never told me what happened with Evans, did you? Did you take her to Hogsmeade after the Quidditch match?"

James grinned suddenly, and nodded. "Yup. She complained a bit in the beginning, but I think she had a nice time. We sat in the Three Broomsticks and talked."

Sirius shrugged. "Well, at least you didn't try to take her to Madame Puddifoot's. Think she'll go with you again? Or did you say something stupid and screw it up?"

"To be honest, I'm not too sure. You see, what happened was…."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

"He kissed me."

Rochelle dropped her quill in surprise, resulting in ink spilling all over her Charms essay. Quickly whipping out her wand to clean it up, she glanced at Lily Evans. "_What _did you say?"

Lily frowned. "Potter. After we came back from Hogsmeade, he walked till the entrance to the girls dorms. The common room was rather empty, there wasn't anyone there. So he leaned in and he kissed me."

Rochelle had to admit that she was surprised. James had been following Lily around for as long as she could remember, but it had always been in playful fun. She'd never thought he would do something so bold. "So.. what happened then? I hope you didn't hurt him, Lily!"

"No. It wasn't… it wasn't all that bad. He didn't throw himself at me or anything, it was just a soft peck. He was being so sweet, I don't know what got into me. So I kissed him too."

Rochelle stared. "Oh."

"And then I realized what I was doing, and I panicked. I pushed him away and ran upstairs. I haven't seen him since, I don't know what he must think of me."

"Well, I'm sure he still fancies you, if that's what you're worried about."

Lily shook her head, as she played with her quill. "No, that's not what I'm worried about. I'm worried because I think I might fancy him too."

Rochelle had to admit, it was a bit of a change. Usually when Lily talked about Potter, it was to complain about how much of a prick he was. But the sudden change in Lily was obvious. She wasn't exactly singing his praises yet, but that one trip to Hogsmeade seemed to have changed her impression of him. He'd paid attention to her, she said, talked about whatever she wanted to talk about and been a perfect gentlemen.

"I think… I think I'll go talk to him," Lily decided finally. "Do you think I should?"

"Yes."

"I will. I wonder where he is. They don't have Quidditch practice, do they? Oh! He's probably in the Hospital Wing with Black."

Rochelle frowned. "Black's still in the Hospital Wing?"

Lily nodded. "He was hurt rather badly. I thought it was horrible of Lestrange to hit him like that when he wasn't looking. Remus has been taking Black the homework he missed, but I doubt he's doing it all. Those boys will take _anything_ as an excuse…"

Rochelle nodded. "Oh. Well, you should go talk to Potter. I'll see you tomorrow."

Lily smiled. "We didn't get much studying done today, did we? All right. Thank you so much for listening, Rochelle."

"It's not a problem."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle patrolled the corridors again that night. She'd been neglecting her prefect duties ever since the Christmas vacations, and it was finally time for her to start paying attention to them again. To be honest, she didn't mind. The silence of the castle at night allowed her to think.

She thought about Lily and Potter, and how unexpected everything with them had been. Lily had come back rather happy after talking to him, although she hadn't had time to tell Rochelle everything. Rochelle didn't need to know. Their relationship was sweet, and Rochelle found that it made her feel hopeful. If Potter and Lily could find love in each other, then perhaps anybody could.

She also thought about Lucius. Her cousin had started acting more and more odd, though he'd refused to show any more emotion after the night he cried in front of her. Rochelle felt horrible whenever she thought about it. Something was scaring him, but she couldn't understand what it was. He refused to say anything, and Rochelle felt lost. It seemed as though everyone knew what was going on except for her. She'd written back to her mother demanding to know what was wrong with Lucius, but hadn't received a reply yet.

Rochelle was also having trouble getting Black out of her mind. They hadn't spoken, not since their last meeting in the Owlery. But she knew that he'd heard her conversation with Rabastan. That smug smile that had been on his face had made her uncomfortable, and she couldn't figure out what it meant. It was as though he was gloating about proving her wrong. But what had she been wrong about? Rabastan? She'd never trusted him much anyway.

Preoccupied with her thoughts, Rochelle almost didn't notice the soft voices that were coming from one of the balconies at the end of a corridor. She slowly pulled out her wand, and stepped towards the balcony. The large curtain hid her view of whoever was standing outside, and she pushed it aside slowly.

"You know that could never happen," a male voice was saying softly. It was unfamiliar to Rochelle, and she could only see the back of the boy's head. "I don't want you to have to go through that, it's too much."

"Don't be silly, Ted," a girl's voice replied. This, surprisingly, was familiar. Rochelle couldn't quite place it, however and she stayed silent as the girl spoke. "I can handle myself, you know that. It's just another year, and we'll be out of here. They can't control me anymore."

There was a pause, and Rochelle pulled the curtain aside further to catch a glimpse of the girl. Long, black hair flowed down her back, but Rochelle still couldn't see their faces.

"Do you want this? Do you _really _want this, Dromeda?"

"More than anything else, Ted."

Rochelle froze at the sound of the familiar name. _Andromeda Black_. This was Narcissa and Bellatrix's sister! Rochelle watched in silent horror as the two figures turned towards each other, and the boy kissed Andromeda softly. Her grip on the curtain slackened, and she must have made some sort of noise, because the couple pulled apart and stared at her in shock.

"I… you two shouldn't be here. It's after hours," Rochelle said, trying to regain her composure. She wiped the shock from her face and tried to make sure that she sounded like a Prefect with authority. "Get back to your dormitories at once, if you don't want detention."

The boy, Ted, pulled away from Andromeda reluctantly. He gave Rochelle a worried look, before slowly walking away. Andromeda, however, stayed put. Rochelle frowned at her. "You too, Andromeda."

"Will you tell them?"

Rochelle raised an eyebrow at the vague question. "Will I tell who?"

"My sisters," Andromeda replied, as though it was obvious. "Or my parents, it really makes no difference. Will you tell them that you caught me after hours with a muggle-born?"

Rochelle almost dropped her wand in horror. Eyes widening, she stepped closer to Andromeda and lowered her voice. "He's a _muggle-born_?"

"Don't say that word like it disgusts you."

"It doesn't disgust me," Rochelle replied, trying to calm herself down. She couldn't believe that she'd just caught a girl from one of the most respected pureblood families with a Muggle-born. "I'm just… I'm just shocked. Andromeda, what would your parents think if they found out?"

"They'd probably disown me. I'm prepared for that."

"But… _why_? Is it really worth it, just to have a fling with some boy?" Rochelle demanded. "What if word spread? You'd never find a suitable husband!"

"I already have one. Ted and I intend to marry after Hogwarts."

Rochelle froze. The idea seemed to shoot through her like ice. _Andromeda Black_, marrying a Muggle-born? The thought was absurd, even impossible. She'd always respected Andromeda, always thought she was a very calm and collected young woman. The thought that she would do something as _scandalous _as…

"I know you're not as bad as the rest of them, Rochelle," Andromeda said. She was staring Rochelle straight in the eyes. "You're friends with Lily Evans. Even Sirius seems to see something in you. I know that if anyone was to understand what I'm going through, it would be you. Please don't say anything. I can't bear the thought of something happening to Ted."

Rochelle swallowed, her throat feeling dry and constricted. "I… I just…"

"Please."

"Andromeda, your parents expect you to marry a pureblood! To carry on your family name, and keep up the honor-"

Andromeda gave Rochelle a cold look. "Oh? And while I make my family and my ancestors and all my bloody neighbors proud, who's going to make _me_ happy? I'm not willing to sacrifice my life for a couple of dead ancestors and relatives who don't give a shit about me. Ted makes _me _ happy. Maybe it's selfish, but I don't care. We're Slytherins, Rochelle. We do what we want for ourselves, no matter what the consequences for others. I've spent 17 years for my family. Any debt to them is paid. Now it's time for me to live the way _I _ want to."

Rochelle shook her head. "But it's wrong-"

"By who's standards? Yours? Or our parents'? I know what _I'm_ doing is right."

Before she could respond, Andromeda Black had swept past her, leaving Rochelle standing alone in front of the balcony. A gust of cold air swept into the corridor, and she felt herself shiver.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Sirius Black awoke as a faint ray of light entered the Hospital Wing, where he was trying to sleep. The beds were uncomfortable and the injury on his head throbbed whenever he tossed and turned. He saw light streak across the dark room as someone opened the door.

Keeping still, he squinted in the darkness while a figure walked across the room, towards him. It was a girl, he was sure of it, but it was too dark to see her face. She stopped beside his bed, and he heard a small noise as she placed something on his bedside table, moving a few other things around to make room. She stopped, breathed out, and stood silently for a moment. Then she turned around and walked back to the open door. Just before she closed it, however, Sirius caught sight of a familiar long, black plait.

**A/N – Phew! This chapter was a nightmare! The scene with Andromeda and Ted was difficult to write, mainly because it's so important. It's one of the major things that has Rochelle rethinking her beliefs.**

**I know Lucius seemed really OOC in this, but here's my defense. Draco, as much as I love him, was a bit of a crybaby. And he had to have gotten it from **_**somewhere**_**. I tried to make it clear that it's not a single person or a thing that Lucius is scared of, but rather the idea of letting down his family. Draco struggled with something similar in HBP. **

**So, lemme know what you think! I really want criticism. If you don't like it, PLEASE take the time to drop a few words about what it is you dislike. Even leave me a flame, if you like. Maybe it'll help me try harder with my writing. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

The next morning, Rochelle sat down alone at the Slytherin table. She'd barely gotten any sleep, both from patrolling the corridors and staying up thinking about Andromeda Black and her muggle-born boyfriend. She'd been unable to digest what she found out, but she finally managed to accept it. The Black family clearly wasn't too big on loyalty. Andromeda had shown no remorse or even the slightest guilt for what she was doing. She clearly believed that she was right, and Rochelle doubted that anybody could convince her otherwise.

But how was that possible? How could something that was so wrong according to one person be so right to another? The thought seemed to make Rochelle's head ache. If she accepted that Andromeda was doing the right thing, that would mean questioning everything that her parents had taught her since her childhood.

Perhaps it was too late for that.

"Morning, Rochelle. Are you all right? You're hair's a mess," Lucius commented, sitting down beside her. He patted her head, making the messy plait even worse. "I wouldn't go to class like that, if I were you."

Rochelle's eyes widened in surprise, as she reached up to touch her hair. _Crap._ She'd completely forgotten to brush it. One look at her reflection in her empty silver glass told her that strands were sticking out everywhere. Sighing, she tried to smooth it down. "Are you all right, Lucius?" she asked him lightly. "You seem to be in a good mood."

"I'm fine," Lucius replied, putting food on his plate. "But really, Rochelle, you're the one that looks pale. I suggest you go brush that hair of yours before someone mistakes you for a ghost."

Frowning, Rochelle got out of her seat and quickly headed to the nearest girls' toilets. She only had five minutes before class, and she needed to hurry. She unraveled the messy plait, and tried using her wand to remove the tangles. It was proving rather difficult, and she groaned in frustration. In the end, she grabbed the entire bunch of hair in her fist, and tied it up in a ponytail. It wasn't much, but it was an improvement from the disastrous hair before.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

She slid into Potions quickly, noticing that there were very few empty seats left because she was relatively late. She spotted one near Rabastan, but decided against it. There was another beside a Gryffindor girl whom she barely knew, and one in front of Remus Lupin. Deciding that Lupin was her best bet, she quickly sat down in front of him and smiled.

"Vittori," he greeted her politely. "Had a rough morning?"

"You have no idea," she muttered, quickly pulling out her Potions textbook. She turned around to ask him about his morning, and noticed that Black and Potter were sitting right behind him. Black was smiling widely, and there were no signs of any injury on him. Clearly Madame Pomfrey had worked her magic. Avoiding his gaze, she smiled politely at Lupin and turned to face the front as Professor Slughorn entered the classroom.

"Good morning! Now, having completed the lesson on Revival Potions, I think it's time we moved on to a new topic Today, we'll be…"

Rochelle drifted off, as Slughorn began his class. She'd always thought Potions was interesting, but somehow she simply wasn't in the mood to concentrate, that day. Her head started to throb softly, and she could feel her eyelids getting heavy. She could barely take notes. When the bell rang for the end of class, she was relieved. She closed her books quickly, and tried to shake off the drowsy feeling that was overcoming her.

A large hand placed itself on her desk, and Rochelle jumped, startled. She looked up and saw that Sirius Black was standing there, smiling at her.

"New hairstyle? I like it. Gives you that I-just-got-out-of-bed look. Very attractive."

Rochelle glared, trying to control the blush that was threatening to rise up to her cheeks. Her hair didn't look _that_ bad, did it? It must have been worse than she thought, if Black noticed it. "Go away."

"All right, all right, don't get mad! I just wanted to say thanks for the chocolates," he said, with a cheeky grin. "I really liked the card as well."

Rochelle froze, but tried to look straight at him, confidently. "I'm sorry? What chocolates?"

Sirius rolled his eyes at her. "Don't try to fool me. I saw you last night, I know you left those Chocolate Frogs and the get-well-soon card on my table. Missed me so much, eh?"

Rochelle forced herself to look away from his gaze, and glanced behind him. Lucius was just leaving the classroom, and she was relieved that he hadn't turned back and noticed Black talking to her. That could have turned ugly. "Black, you should stay away from me. If Lucius sees you talking to me, he won't take it well."

Sirius's smile dropped. Her grey eyes stared into hers, with an expression that Rochelle couldn't decipher. "Is that a threat, Vittori?"

"No," she replied, standing up and gathering her things. She quickly slung her bag over her shoulder. "It's a _warning_. You're an arsehole, but you don't deserve what Lucius will do to you if you don't leave now."

Sirius smiled once more. "Are you scared of him?"

"No," Rochelle said. Most of the students had left the class, and she was consciously aware of the fact that she and Black were among the few people left. She was terrified that Lucius would decide to walk back into the classroom, and tried to push past Sirius. He grabbed her arm. "Black, let me go."

He smiled, stepping closer. "I would, but I'm not sure you want me to."

She felt her breath catch in her throat as his grip on her arm tightened slightly. It wasn't painful, but there was no way she could shake it off. With a small jerk of his arm, she was trapped between him and the desk, his chest almost touching hers.

_No. Not again. I promised myself that I would never get into this situation with him again-_

"Here's what _I _see, Elle," Sirius said softly, his head leaning closer to hers. She could almost feel his breath on her face. "You claim you want me to stay away from you, but you don't complain about me to your cousin. You could have; Malfoy would have hexed me in a second if you let him. But for some reason, you don't. Then, you leave chocolates and a get-well-soon note beside my sickbed. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems that you _fancy_ me."

Rochelle could feel her temper rising slightly. Her heartbeat quickened, but she wasn't sure if it was because he was irritating her or because he was too close. "I don't fancy you. Stop flattering yourself."

"Yet for some reason, you won't admit it. Why? Is it because I'm a blood traitor?"

"No, it's because you're an infuriating prick," Rochelle snapped, yanking her arm out of his grasp. "And if you don't step away from me right now, I _will _tell Lucius. And I won't be responsible for what he does to you."

Sirius laughed. "Wonderful plan. There's only two problems. The first being that I'm not afraid of your little cousin. And even if I was, it wouldn't matter. You'd never tell him anyway. Pretty good at keeping secrets, aren't you, Elle?"

Rochelle could feel her anger bubbling up. She felt the urge to hit him, but she stopped herself. "Yes, I am, Black. And I'm not sure if you're aware, but one of the secrets I'm keeping involves your cousin Andromeda. So I'd keep my mouth shut if I were you."

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Don't act like you're doing Andromeda a favor. You know perfectly well that you could never tell anyone about her even if you wanted to. Want to know why, Rochelle? Because she's just like you, only one step ahead. She _admits_ that she's not like the rest of her family while you hide behind your perfect little act, convincing yourself and dear Mum and Dad that you're their perfect pureblood princess."

"Don't-"

"But you're not, are you? You're friends with a muggle-born. You fraternize with blood traitors. And you don't want to be some pathetic little trophy wife to a man like Rabastan Lestrange who doesn't give a damn about your feelings."

Rochelle could feel her throat constrict. He was right, she knew it. Every word that came out of his mouth was true, and it hit Rochelle like a lightning bolt. She was a fraud and a liar. She pretended and she convinced herself that she was what her parents wanted her to be. But what was the point, when someone like Sirius Black could see straight through her?

Rochelle's head felt light for a moment, and black spots appeared in her vision. Her knees could no longer hold her up and they jerked suddenly. Sirius looked shocked, but he grabbed her shoulders and helped her stand up. "Vittori? Are you all right?"

"Fine, just… dizzy…" she mumbled. There was a sick feeling in the back of her throat, and she could feel everything spinning. Her legs started to feel even more weak, and Sirius put his arms around her back carefully.

"Wait, just sit for a moment. Put your head down."

Rochelle followed his instructions, and she felt the sick feeling slowly start to subside. She rested her forehead on the desk, taking slow, shuddering breaths. Sirius's hand rubbed her back gently, and she found herself leaning into the comfort of his touch. She stopped thinking for a few seconds, and simply took deep breaths. Once her breathing returned to normal, she lifted her head.

"Are you all right?" Sirius asked. He was smiling weakly, but he looked concerned. "Scared me for a minute, there."

"I'm fine," Rochelle replied sharply, grabbing her bag. She stood up slowly, her legs wobbling for a moment before holding her up. Sirius reached out to help her, but she pushed him away.

"Elle, I don't think you should be walking. You look like you're going to faint. Have you even been eating?" Sirius demanded, following her as she walked out of the Potions classroom. Rochelle turned around and glared at him.

"You know what, Black? Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm a liar and a fraud, and maybe I pretend to be someone I'm not for my family," she said, her voice cracking. Her blue-grey eyes were shining with tears that were starting to pool in her eyes. Sirius stepped back in surprise. "If I disgust you so much, then I'm sorry. But I can't make _everyone_ happy."

She walked away from him, trying to stop the tears that were threatening to spill down her cheeks and the throbbing in her head.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle spent the rest of her afternoon in the Hospital Wing. She'd just barely managed to make it to Transfiguration when she almost collapsed. Luckily, she'd been caught by Professor McGonagall, who sent her straight to the Hospital Wing with another student to escort her.

Madame Pomfrey had fussed over Rochelle. It seemed that the nurse had taken a liking to the young Slytherin girl, and she insisted that Rochelle take a nap in the Hospital Wing and catch up on some sleep instead of attending her other classes. The idea was delightful. Rochelle's eyelids had been drooping all day, and the hard, hospital bed was more than welcoming.

She awoke to someone gently prodding her shoulder. "Miss Vittori? You need to wake up." Rochelle's eyelids fluttered open, and she saw Madame Pomfrey standing over her. "Dear, it's time for lunch. If you're up to it, I must insist that you go down and eat something. You'll feel better. Perhaps you can make it to your afternoon classes."

Rochelle nodded, carefully standing up. She glanced around the room and saw that Sirius Black was standing behind Madame Pomfrey, smiling sheepishly at her. "What's he doing here?"

"Mr. Black came to get his head checked up. He's offered to help you down to the Great Hall for lunch," Madame Pomfrey explained. She shot Sirius a stern look. "You will be careful with her, won't you?"

"Absolutely," Sirius promised, holding his arm out to Rochelle. She frowned at him, but took it reluctantly. She didn't want to walk alone, because she wasn't sure when her knees would give out again. Collapsing in the middle of a corridor could be very embarrassing.

They left the Hospital Wing, walking slowly so that Rochelle could feel comfortable on her feet. She had to admit that Sirius was being surprisingly caring. He slowed his pace for her, and kept a light grip on her elbow in case she should stumble.

"Are you feeling all right?" he asked her, once they'd stepped into the corridor. Rochelle glanced up at him, incredulously. "Sorry, I suppose that's a stupid question. I'll keep quiet if you don't want to talk."

Rochelle sighed. "I'm fine, thank you. Just having a long day."

"I should have taken you to the Hospital Wing when you felt dizzy after Potions," Sirius muttered, more to himself than Rochelle. "I didn't realize it was that bad. Madame Pomfrey seems to like you, though. That's good. She doesn't like me and James much, thinks we trouble her unnecessarily."

"You probably do," Rochelle muttered in response. Sirius smiled.

"I suppose…" he trailed off, as they reached the beginning of a staircase. Rochelle looked down it, and began to feel slightly dizzy again. "Can you make it down these? Here, I'll help you…"

He shifted his arm from her elbow to her back, and Rochelle almost froze as his warm hand pressed into her waist softly, offering her support. She grabbed the railing of the stairs with one hand, and allowed herself to lean onto his arm. As she took the first step, she glanced at him and saw that he was smirking.

"You're enjoying this."

"Having a pretty girl lean on me? Absolutely."

Rochelle couldn't control the blush that crept onto her cheeks. She pretended to concentrate on her step, hiding her face from Sirius so that he wouldn't notice. They were halfway down the stairs, when Sirius stopped suddenly. Rochelle took another step down, and glanced back when she saw that he hadn't followed her.

"What?" she questioned.

"You don't disgust me. You know that, don't you?"

Rochelle stared at him in confusion for a few seconds, before she remembered that he was echoing her words from earlier that morning. _If I disgust you so much, then I'm sorry, _was what she'd said. "Oh."

"Believe me, I wouldn't be spending this much time around you, if you did," Sirius continued with a light smile, starting down the stairs again. "And, erm… I'm sorry if it seemed that way to you. Besides, I was just fooling around. I never thought you would take my words so seriously."

Rochelle wasn't sure how to respond to that. His apology seemed sincere, and she had to admit that she'd over-reacted. She smiled to herself, as she realized the pun in his words. "Well, of course I took you seriously. You _are_ Sirius."

Sirius paused, staring at her for a few seconds, his eyes sparkling in amusement. "No! Did Rochelle Vittori, the Slytherin ice princess, just make a _joke_?"

Rochelle shrugged, smiling. "I can joke."

"No, clearly you can't. That was pathetic. Let me tell you what a _real_ joke-"

Sirius was, however, interrupted when he felt a wand at the back of his neck. Startled, he dropped his arm from around Rochelle and whirled around to see Lucius Malfoy sneering at him. "Malfoy," Sirius greeted lightly. "Problem?"

Malfoy, however, wasn't looking at Sirius. He was glaring at Rochelle, who seemed to almost shrink under his gaze. "You promised you'd tell me if he bothered you again! Rochelle, what is wrong with you?"

Rochelle's lower lip trembled, and she flinched away from Malfoy's loud voice. Her head started to throb, and she clutched onto the railing of the staircase. Sirius watched her, worried, before turning back to Lucius. "Leave her alone, Malfoy. She almost fainted in class today, can't you see she's not well?"

Lucius glanced at Rochelle, who's face was scrunched up in obvious pain. He lowered his wand slightly, watching her. "Rochelle? Are you all right?"

"Fine," she mumbled, trying to ignore the fact that her head was spinning. "Really, Lucius, it's all right. Black was just helping me get to the Great Hall…"

Lucius stared at both Sirius and Rochelle for a moment, as though unsure whether to believe them. After a long pause, he finally stowed his wand back into his robes and shoved Sirius aside to take Rochelle's arm. "I'll take it from here. And if I ever see you near her again, Black-"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "I know, I know, you'll hex me into oblivion. I'll believe it when I see it, Malfoy."

Angry, Lucius reached into his robes to pull his wand back out, but Rochelle caught his arm. "Not now, Lucius. Come, let's go."

Sirius watched as Malfoy reluctantly dropped his hand and turned away from him. He and Rochelle continued down the stairs, before disappearing from sight.

**A/N – One of my reviewers asked for more Sirius. I realized that I'd gotten so obsessed with Rochelle that I'd started to ignore him! Well, wish granted! (I'm doing this stupid wand twirling thing with my hand right now) **

**As orangezauber said, the review response to this story IS rather low. But you know what? I'm happy with the few reviewers I have, because they are all wonderful people who actually take out time to read my story and share their honest opinion on it, without leaving unhelpful reviews like 'I liked it, update.' And a handful of good reviewers is better than all the bad ones combined. So thank you all so much! (I have tears in my eyes now. Sniff.) **

**You know, many people have mentioned that I changed the ages of many characters. I'm sorry if that bothers you, I admit that I too, like to stick to canon. But here's my defense, if you're interested. **

**My story needs a lot of pureblood characters. Most of Rochelle's thoughts and beliefs are influenced by the actions of other people, and without characters like Lucius and Andromeda, the story wouldn't make sense. Admittedly, I could have made a bunch of OCs instead. But I find that while one or two OCs are nice, having too many OCs can be annoying. I hate seeing a load of unfamiliar names and getting mixed up about who's who. If you want to put in all your own characters, go write an original fiction somewhere else. For example, when I say Lucius, you already have an image in your mind about a pureblood who's very firm about his beliefs and has a lot of pride. So I don't need to bother establishing his character. This is the reason I've taken characters we already know, changed their ages so that they're conveniently in Hogwarts, and tweaked them the tiniest bit in my own way. Believe me, if I'd made a bunch of OCs to fit their roles, you wouldn't have found this story as interesting as you (hopefully) now do. **

**Phew! I don't blame you if you didn't read all that. **

**Review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Rochelle spent the rest of the day in her own bed. She hadn't been able to eat much, and Madame Pomfrey told her that the only thing that would make her feel better was a good, long sleep. She'd taken a Sleeping Potion, and by the time she awoke, it was dark outside.

As Rochelle slid out of bed and tested her feet on the ground, she found that they felt as stable as ever. It had probably just been exhaustion, as Madame Pomfrey had claimed. A tapping noise at her window alerted her to the fact that her owl, Amber, was trying to get inside.

Rochelle quickly opened the window, and took the letter that Amber was carrying. It was a reply from her mother and she opened it eagerly, hoping it might have answers to some of her questions. As she scanned the contents, however, Rochelle was sorely disappointed. Her mother had omitted the topic of Lucius completely, not mentioning anything about him at all. The majority of the letter talked about preparations for Royce's wedding. She read it half-heartedly, before reaching the last paragraph of the letter.

_Oh, and dear, you must be mistaken about that hairclip. Your Grandmother's goblin-made clip does not have any green flowers on it- it's merely silver with a green finishing. The one you found was one of those horrible Muggle pieces someone gifted her. I suppose she never got around to disposing of them. It's just as well that you broke it- I would have thrown it out myself if I'd known that you were wearing Muggle jewellery. _

The letter ended after that, and Rochelle scrunched it up in her fist. Why was her mother avoiding the question of what was wrong with Lucius? How could she ask her to take care of him, yet not even mention what was wrong? Rochelle was certain that her family was hiding something from her, and she wanted to know what it was. She wasn't a _child_. If Lucius could handle it, so could she.

There was a knock on her dormitory door, and Rochelle frowned. None of her dorm mates would feel the need to knock.

"Come in!"

A small second-year girl walked in, looking rather nervous. She took a deep breath and looked up at Rochelle. "Lucius Malfoy is downstairs. He says that he wants to see you, if you're awake."

"Oh. Thank you."

The girl scurried away and Rochelle sighed, throwing the crumpled letter to a corner of the room. She didn't want to deal with Lucius, but she supposed it was unavoidable. The only reason he hadn't already screamed at her was because she'd looked like she would faint. Now that he saw she was feeling better, he wouldn't be soft.

Rochelle descended the stairs to the common room, and saw Lucius waiting at the bottom of them. He had his arms crossed over his chest, and raised his eyebrows when he saw her.

"Feeling better?"

"Yes."

"Good. We need to talk."

Rochelle sat down opposite Lucius. There were bags under his eyes, and he looked tired. But the look he gave her was still as chilling as ever. "I trusted you."

There was a pause and Rochelle raised an eyebrow. "Pardon?"

"Don't act _innocent_ with me, Rochelle. You told me that you would come to me if he ever bothered you! What were you even thinking?"

"I was thinking that he was helping me get to lunch, because I felt dizzy. He wasn't bothering me, Lucius, so I didn't see the need to come to you." Rochelle replied firmly. "He was being kind, and if you want to blame him for that, go ahead."

"I'm not going to blame him," he answered, angrily. "I'm starting to wonder whether I should blame _you _instead. I believed you when you told me that nothing happened the last time, but I'm thinking that you weren't telling the truth."

"Are you _really _going to accuse me of this again?" Rochelle demanded, exasperated. "What is it exactly that you think is going on between me and Black?"

Lucius shook his head. "I don't have to say it. You know perfectly well that your actions are wrong, Rochelle. Loitering with him in deserted corridors? Laughing with him in _public_ while he has his arm around you? Do you realize how this looks? _Do you_?"

Lucius' voice had risen, and a few people sitting nearby were starting to give them odd looks. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. "I have no choice. I'll be writing to your parents tonight."

There was a sense of finality in his tone that even Rochelle knew well enough not to argue with. She wouldn't be able to talk him out of it again. She realized that she would much rather deal with her level-headed parents than Lucius anyway. Rochelle nodded, and stood up, pushing her chair back. Lucius gave her an irritated look. "Where do you think you're going? Sit down."

"I'd rather not. I'm going to meet a friend of mine in the library," Rochelle replied simply.

"No, you aren't. Not while I'm talking to you. Sit down."

"I think we're done talking. You've told me that you'll be writing to my parents. All right. I think whatever needs to be said has been said, don't you?" she asked. "If you don't mind, I'll be going now."

Lucius glared at her. "You'd better not be going to see Black, Rochelle. Believe me, he can't help you."

"I'm not going to see Black."

"Then who?"

"It's really none of your business."

Lucius stood up as well, his blue eyes shimmering with anger. "I'm tired of this, Rochelle. I have _enough _problems in my own life without dealing with your pathetic, bratty behavior! Perhaps the reason your parents refuse to tell you anything of importance is your obvious immaturity! So I'll ask you again. Who are you going to meet?"

"Lily Evans."

Lucius froze, his eyes widening in horror. _"_The _mudblood_?"

"She's not a mudblood," Rochelle replied sharply. "But she is a Muggleborn. And she's my friend."

Having said that, Rochelle turned around and walked out of the Slytherin common room. She didn't bother to glance back at Lucius. As the dungeon door creaked shut behind her, for the first time in her life, Rochelle felt a sudden sense of exhilaration. Perhaps telling the truth was easier than she'd thought.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Lily Evans was sitting alone in the library, head buried in a book when Rochelle approached her table. The red-head glanced up, surprised to see her friend. She smiled widely. "Rochelle! I didn't think you were coming, Sirius told me that you almost fainted in class! Are you feeling all right?"

Rochelle nodded, with a frown. A sudden feeling of guilt ran through her, and she couldn't shake it off. How long had she been ashamed of being friends with Lily? How many times had she lied to Lucius about spending time with her? "Yes, I'm um, I'm feeling all right. It was just exhaustion, I hadn't gotten much sleep."

Lily nodded, smiling as Rochelle pulled out her books as well. The two girls studied in silence for a few moments, before Lily spoke up.

"There's something I'd like to ask you. You don't have to answer… I know it's really none of my business but I thought that-"

"Lily, it's all right. You can ask me anything."

Lily nodded. "All right. Is there anything going on between you and Black? Like I said, you don't have to answer that. It's none of my business."

Rochelle looked up, startled. "What would give you that idea?"

"Well, it's just… do you remember that morning, when there was a hairclip that Black found, and I asked you if you knew who it belonged to?"

Rochelle froze. "Yes. I said I didn't know."

"I know that you lied. I'm not blaming you for it, you must have had your reasons, but… I remember the clip. You were wearing it the night of Slughorn's party," Lily explained. "I thought I should let you know that I recognized it. I'm not suggesting that anything happened with you and Sirius. It just seemed wrong to not tell you that I knew."

Rochelle's mouth felt slightly dry. She wasn't sure what to say. "Oh. I… what brought this up suddenly?"

Lily frowned, and reached into her bag. She rummaged around for a few seconds, before extracting a small box. It was lined with velvet and from the look of it, contained some sort of jewellery. She passed it across the table to Rochelle, who stared at it. "What's this?"

"Sirius asked me to give it to you. He said he wanted to do it himself, but he wasn't sure if approaching you so soon after Malfoy's threats was such a good idea. And he also said he was sorry."

Rochelle stared down at the box. It was small and rectangular, the right size to contain a small quill or something similar. Rochelle found her heartbeat racing. Was it some sort of a joke? "What's inside?"

"I don't know. I haven't looked at it. It seemed personal," Lily explained.

Rochelle stared down at the box for a few seconds, before touching it. She ran her finger along the lining once and then slowly opened the lid. She blinked for a few seconds.

Inside was a _beautiful_ silver hairclip, lined with small green flowers. They seemed to shimmer and move, almost as if they were swaying in the wind. Rochelle stared at it for a few moments, mesmerized by the sight. It was impossible to tear her eyes away. She'd never seen anything like it before.

"Wow," Lily muttered softly, looking at the hairclip. "That's beautiful. I can't believe Black has such wonderful taste. But… why is he gifting this to you?"

Rochelle's heart felt like it had dropped into her stomach. "Because he broke my old clip. But this… this makes the other one look like a piece of scrap metal." She looked up at Lily. "I don't know why he's doing this."

Lily smiled. "Perhaps you should ask him."

Rochelle shook her head, quickly closing the box and pushing it away. "I can't take this. It looks expensive, and… it's beautiful, but it feels wrong to take it. Will you please return it to him? I don't want to sound ungrateful, but it's too much. There must be some sort of a mistake."

Lily frowned slightly. "I don't think there's any mistake, Rochelle. I think he's trying to apologize."

"Then he can simply say sorry. The situation doesn't call for such an expensive gift. Lily, _please_ just take it back to him."

Lily nodded, and quietly put the closed box back into her bag. Then she turned around and picked up her quill again. "Did you understand this passage about gurdyroots? I'm not too sure what this line means, exactly…"

Rochelle took Lily's book and looked at the page she was pointing at, trying to put the image of the beautiful hairclip out of her mind.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle was sitting alone in the common room the next evening, trying to catch up on her schoolwork, when she was approached by Andromeda Black. She looked up at her, and smiled forcefully.

"Rochelle. I hope I'm not disturbing you."

Rochelle shook her head and forced a smile. She put her quill down slowly. "Of course not. Is everything all right?"

Andromeda nodded, and took a deep breath before speaking. "I just… I wanted to thank you. For not saying anything about what happened the other night. You didn't have to keep quiet about it; we barely know each other. But you did anyway, so thank you."

Rochelle nodded. She wasn't sure what to say. The encounter that night had bothered her a lot more than it should have, and she still wasn't certain why. "It's all right. I'm sorry if I reacted badly then, it's just that you caught me by surprise."

Andromeda smiled. "You weren't expecting one of the Black sisters to be having an affair with a Muggleborn, were you? I can understand. If you'd told me about 5 or 6 years ago that I would be in this position today, getting ready to elope and marry the man I loved, I might have laughed at you."

There was a pause, as Rochelle digested her words. She looked up at Andromeda and realized that there was a question she'd been dying to ask her for the past two days. She decided to come straight out with it. "But Andromeda, are you happy? Are you _truly_ happy, even knowing that… I mean, the pain that your parents may go through once they find out?"

Andromeda paused for a moment, seeming to think about the question. Then she slowly looked up at Rochelle. "I think that's a good question. I _am _happy with Ted, I know that. There's no doubt about it. He makes me feel more wonderful than anyone in my family ever did. And perhaps if I thought that my family would be hurt, then it might affect my decision."

"You don't think they'll be hurt that their daughter and sister is leaving them?"

"Oh their _pride_ will be hurt, certainly. They won't be able to show their faces in society for a while, as my dear Aunt Walburga and Uncle Orion couldn't, when Sirius ran away. They may even choose to blast me off the family tree. They'll be ashamed and furious and perhaps even devastated at the loss of the Black reputation. They may miss their daughter. But will they miss _me_, Andromeda Black, for who I am? Do they even _know_ who I am? I don't think so."

Rochelle bit her lip hard, as she listened to her. Something told her that Andromeda was wrong, wanted to scream at her for even thinking about betraying her family and marrying a Muggleborn. But another part of her knew that it was true. What were pride and honor and family reputation if all they did was ruin your happiness? What was the use if they tore your loved ones away from you?

"I'm surprised that you were still listening to me," Andromeda said softly, watching Rochelle with concerned eyes. "Anyone else would have run away screaming by now."

Rochelle laughed humorlessly. "Believe me, I'm screaming in my head."

"I know it's difficult, Rochelle. It's easy to follow everyone else; doubting what you thought you knew is one of the worst feelings you can ever experience. But I think that when the time comes, you will take the right decisions."

Rochelle resisted the urge to scoff. "I don't know what's right anymore. Is it what's right for people like my family, or what's right for people like you and Sirius?"

"That depends on you. You have the freedom to make that choice."

**A/N – Whoa. I must have done **_**something**_** right last chapter, because the reviews came flowing in! Haha, thank you so much! I hope this one doesn't disappoint. And remember, I'm still learning, so let me know about any ideas or suggestions you may have. **

**I personally, rather like this chapter because it marks the beginning of Rochelle's change in character. I mean, she's been having thoughts all this time, but not hiding her friendship with Lily is her first step! **

**I'm also surprised so many of you read my HUGE Author's Note from last chapter. You guys are so sweet. I'm ashamed, but I very rarely read Author's Notes myself. But thanks for the constructive reviews! Gosh, now I feel like you guys expect a lot out of me and I'm scared to disappoint… :( **

**So… yeah! Leave another review, lemme know what else I can do! **


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"He won't take it back."

Rochelle and Lily were walking out of Transfiguration the next morning. Professor McGonagall had been surprisingly concerned about Rochelle's health, and asked her if she was feeling well enough to sit in class. She'd even given her a two-day extension on their homework.

Rochelle frowned. "What do you mean, he won't take it back?"

"I don't know. He just said that you could throw it into the lake if you wanted, but he wasn't going to take it back," Lily explained.

Rochelle reluctantly took the box that Lily handed her. "Well, can't you tell him that-"

"I'm not telling him anything. The two of you are as stubborn as mules, you can talk it out yourselves. Really, Rochelle, he wants to give you a gift, he probably feels bad about breaking your old pin. And if he says it isn't as expensive as you think it is… maybe he isn't lying. You should accept it. What's stopping you?"

"I just don't understand, Lily. He didn't seem particularly apologetic when he _broke_ the pin, so why is he trying to make amends now?" Rochelle demanded, reluctantly sliding the box into her bag.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I think you worry too much. Maybe you should stop analyzing it and just take the gift. Will I see you in the library again today?"

Rochelle nodded absent-mindedly. "Yes, um… I was hoping you would help me out with some observations I need to prepare for Potions."

"All right. I'll be there at half past six. See you then!"

Rochelle waved goodbye to Lily, before turning towards the Slytherin common room. She waited until she found a comfortable seat near a window, before taking out the small box that Lily had given back to her.

Rochelle had to admit, she _wanted_ to keep the hairclip. It was beautiful, and if it had come from someone else she would have accepted it instantly. It was hard to refuse such a wonderful gift. But it was Sirius Black's motives behind it that confused her.

Why would he do something like this? Rochelle hated to think that this gift was some sort of a trick, but the thought kept occurring to her. It didn't seem much like Sirius to do something out of the goodness of his heart. She didn't trust him, not really. It couldn't be cursed, he wouldn't go quite that far, but… Rochelle simply wasn't sure what to think. He'd been kind to her the previous day, but that didn't mean much. Black could be charming when he wanted to be.

She opened the box again, her eyes drawn to the softly swaying flowers. The maker must have cast some sort of a charm on it, to ensure that anyone who looked at it would be unable to turn their eyes away. It was a clever piece of magic and Rochelle found that it took quite a lot of will-power to close the box again.

She ran her fingers along the edge of it thoughtfully, until she felt a small engraving on the bottom. Turning it around, she saw that the maker had stamped his name into the bottom. _Stonewell Jewellery_, the name read, beside a symbol shaped like an odd diamond. The name was familiar. Where had she heard it before? She racked her brain, trying to remember.

_Royce's engagement party!_ Rochelle's mother had bought a number of pieces of jewellery for the both of them just for the party, and Rochelle remembered being there when a boy had come to deliver them to their home. The boxes had the very same engraving on them, she was certain. Cassandra Vittori had commented multiple times that the jewellery was of excellent quality but the price was rather extravagant, considering she'd had to travel all the way to Hogsmeade, where the shop was located, just to place the order.

Rochelle frowned at the box. Was this _really_ from Stonewell Jewellery? It was the sort of place where only the very rich, elite wizards shopped. She was certain that Black couldn't have gotten it from there. The idea was absurd.

Sighing, she put the box back into her bag, and realized with a sinking feeling that the only way she would get any answers was if she talked to Black himself. Perhaps that was what he'd wanted all along.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Sirius Black and James Potter were walking down the corridor after class, debating the likelihood of Puddlemere United winning their next match against the Holyhead Harpies. They both admitted it was unlikely, and Sirius was about to share his opinion when something caught his eyes.

Rochelle Vittori was sitting on a bench nearby, her head buried in a book. Her eyes scanned the pages with obvious eagerness, and the corners of her mouth were turned up in the slightest hint of a smile. Sirius watched, fascinated by her ability to be so completely absorbed in a book when there were so many students talking, chattering, and creating noise around her.

"Close your mouth, mate, you're drooling," James joked, reaching out to push Sirius' chin up, although it was already closed. Sirius pushed him away.

"Shut up."

"I will when you admit that you fancy her. Mate, I was never this bad with Lily. At least I admitted that she's the love of my life."

Sirius glared at him. "No, you were a pain in the ass and you still are. I don't fancy her, she's a _Slytherin._"

James snorted. "Sure, mate. And I'm the Minister for Magic. Vittori might be a Slytherin, but she's a Slytherin that you spent almost thirty galleons on. Wasn't that how much that hairclip cost?"

"Thirty-two," Sirius muttered, rolling his eyes.

"_Thirty-two galleons. _Have you any idea what we could have done with that money? At the very least, you could have bet it on the Puddlemere United game and won double. And you spent it on jewellery for a girl who's never going to shag you, no matter how hard you try."

Sirius's face broke into a small grin. "I wouldn't be too sure about that. Nobody can resist my charms, not even her."

"I don't believe you."

Sirius shrugged, before making his way over to Vittori. James raised his eyebrows, surprised that he was even trying. He paused for a few seconds and then shook his head and left to find Lily. He had better things to do than sit and watch while Vittori ignored Sirius.

Sirius walked over to Rochelle, who was still sitting cross-legged on the bench. He stood in front of her, but to his dismay, she didn't even glance up at him. Her eyes were still flickering across the page rapidly, and she turned a page absent-mindedly, before reaching up and twirling a finger around her neatly-done plait. Sirius was almost disappointed to note that she hadn't attempted the messy ponytail from the other day again.

"Culinary Spells for Amateurs," Sirius said out loud, bending over slightly to read the title written on the book. Rochelle jumped, startled, and looked up at him. "You're joking. It's a book on _cooking spells_?"

Rochelle's cheeks turned a faint shade of pink, Sirius was pleased to note. She blinked at him a few times, before shaking her head. "Um, no. It's a novel, I just… I charmed a different cover onto it so that nobody would notice what I was reading."

"And you think people will buy the fact that you're reading about cooking spells? Don't you purebloods have house elves for that sort of thing?" Sirius asked casually, sitting down beside her. Rochelle lowered the book and frowned at him.

"Why do you speak that way?"

"What way?"

"The way you say '_you purebloods'_. It's not as though you were never one. Purebloods aren't some sort of a foreign species to you," she argued. "Just because your mother is completely rotten human being doesn't mean all purebloods are the same." She paused for a second, realizing what she'd just said. "Erm.. .sorry."

Sirius shrugged. "Don't be. You can say whatever you'd like about my mother, I'd be surprised if you came up with an insult I haven't thought of before."

Rochelle was silent for a moment. "Repulsive, air-headed fruitcake?"

"Hm. Fruitcake. I'll admit, that one's new, but not the best I've heard."

"Sorry. I can't think of insults unless I'm _really_ ticked off."

Sirius smiled, and he noticed that the corners of her mouth were turning up as well. She didn't smile very often, Sirius noted, but when she did, there were two small dimples that formed at the sides of her cheeks. They were hardly noticeable unless you were really close to her. He coughed slightly, and turned his face away from hers.

"So, erm, how's Malfoy?"

"Pardon?"

"Malfoy. He seemed rather angry the last time I saw him. I hope he didn't react too badly afterward."

Rochelle laughed, but there wasn't much humor in it. "Please. He reacts badly to _everything_. But you've got nothing to be worried about, he's decided that whatever he thinks is going on isn't your fault."

Sirius frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that he's decided it's much more convenient to blame me. He's probably written to my parents already, cooking up some scandalous story about you and I," Rochelle said. She glanced up at Sirius, and noted that he looked almost angry.

"Traitorous little bugger." Sirius looked at her, unable to hide the concern in his voice. "Will, um, will you be all right? How angry will your parents be, do you think?"

Rochelle sighed. "It's difficult to tell. I'm counting on the fact that they'll believe me over him. I mean, they trust me, it's not like I've ever gotten involved in anything _remotely_ similar before. And they're _my_ parents. I doubt that Lucius' word counts for more than mine with my father."

Sirius smirked. "Daddy's little girl are you?"

Rochelle raised an eyebrow. "And either way, I'll be the one telling the truth."

"You really believe that everything will be all right if you tell the truth?"

"Don't you?"

"I've told my fair share of lies."

Rochelle rolled her eyes. "Of course. I forgot who I was talking to. I don't know, really. It seems easier to lie, but… it's one thing to tell a small lie and another thing to live one completely."

Sirius was surprised. He hadn't expected her to say something like that, at least not to him. He was unsure of how to respond. "Is that what you think you're doing? Living a lie?"

Rochelle looked up at him, her blue-grey eyes shining. Sirius frowned. He'd once hated those eyes because they resembled Malfoy's, but sitting there, he couldn't find a single resemblance. There was innocence in her expression, but he felt her eyes were conveying a sense of hidden pain. "I don't know."

Sirius tore his gaze away from her eyes, finding that his tongue was slightly dry. He paused, staring down at the grass beneath his feet for a few moments to compose himself. He stopped, when he felt something solid press into his hand softly. Surprised, he glanced down and saw the Rochelle had pressed the jewellery box into his hand.

"What's this?" he asked, his tone sharp. Rochelle bit her lip, and took a deep breath before speaking.

"Please take it back."

Sirius shook his head, and tried to give it to her. "No. I told Lily to tell you that-"

"She told me. But I can't take this, Black. I don't entirely understand why you're giving this to me," Rochelle replied. She stared at him, trying to see if she could tell what he was thinking from his blank expression. It was difficult.

"What's to understand? I broke your old one and threw it off the Owlery. I know this is nowhere near as valuable as that one must have been, but-"

"No, stop," Rochelle said, firmly. Sirius looked up, startled at the firmness in her tone. "Please listen to me. I feel _awful _that you took the efforts to buy this for me. But the pin you broke wasn't goblin-made, or expensive at all. It was some old Muggle piece that my grandmother never bothered to throw away. It was worthless. So you can see how I would be a horrible human being if I accepted this from you."

Sirius didn't speak for a moment. Rochelle watched his face worriedly. Was he angry? He had every right to be, he'd just bought her the hairclip for nothing. When he spoke, however, his tone was no longer sharp. "Just because it was Muggle-made doesn't make it worthless."

"Whatever value that hairclip might have had, it's nothing compared to this one," Rochelle said, with a sigh. "You should return it and take your money back. Or if that's not possible, at least give it to somebody you care about. I'm sorry to have wasted your time and money."

Sirius shook his head. "The money doesn't matter-"

"Of _course _it matters!" Rochelle replied, her tone getting slightly heated. "How do you think I feel, knowing you spent Merlin-knows-how-much on that? And don't try to tell me that it wasn't expensive, I've been to that shop. _Everything_ there is expensive."

"So?"

Rochelle frowned. She hadn't exactly expected him to take it back quietly, but she didn't think that he would put up this much of a fight either. "How could you even afford to buy that?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm not _broke_, if that's what you're thinking? My Uncle Alphard left me a decent amount of money when he died."

Rochelle gave him an incredulous look. "Your _Uncle Alphard_?"

"Why does the idea that I might not be poor seem to bother you?"

Rochelle took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "It doesn't _bother_ me, I'm happy for you if you've got a large inheritance. I just don't think you should spend it on things you don't need to, or you might find that you have less money than you thought."

Sirius opened his mouth to retort, but he stopped at the sight of Professor McGonagall. She was walking towards them, her lips pressed together tightly.

"Miss Vittori," she called, alerting Rochelle of her presence. The Slytherin girl jumped slightly, and turned to face the Professor.

"Professor McGonagall," Rochelle said politely, as she and Sirius stood up in surprise.

"You have been asked to go up to the Headmaster's office immediately," Professor McGonagall said. She was frowning down at her. "Your father is here, and he would like to see you."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

**A/N – Okay, that was my pathetic attempt at a cliffhanger. Let me know if it excited you even a tiny bit or if you were just like 'Yeah, whatever.' **

**Okay, I realized after a review that the whole hairclip thing wasn't clear, so I changed the wording around a bit if you want to go back and glance at it. The hairclip WAS her grandmother's, it just wasn't the valuable goblin-made one she thought it was. Basically, it was an old muggle piece she had lying around. So you can go back and look at it if you want. Or don't bother. I've explained it anyway. **

**And thanks for the reviews! I love the way WhatsTheTimeMrWolf put it – that Rochelle was out of the 'proverbial pureblood closet.' Lol! I never thought of it that way. **

**So, uh, lemme know what you think! **


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Rochelle's body felt numb as she followed Professor McGonagall to the Headmaster's office, but her mind was racing. She'd expected her father to write, to perhaps demand an explanation for what Lucius must have told him. But she'd never thought that the matter was big enough for her father to come racing down to the school _himself_!

Alfred Vittori was one of the school's trustees. He'd been coaxed into the job by her Uncle Abraxas Malfoy. From the start, Rochelle's father had expressed clearly his distaste for the job. He was a busy man who worked in a high-ranking position with the Department of International Magical Co-operation, often acting as an ambassador to various countries. He had little time to deal with the affairs of running a school. Only his respect for his wife's brother had stopped him from withdrawing from the position.

Rochelle felt almost nauseous as Professor McGonagall murmured some absurd password, and the gargoyle moved aside. She gestured for her to step onto the staircase and Rochelle did so, her heart beating rapidly. She waited while the staircase moved.

"Ah, Miss Vittori, do come in," Professor Dumbledore's voice said cheerfully, as Rochelle stepped into his office. The Headmaster was sitting behind his desk with a pleasant smile, while Alfred Vittori sat opposite him, stone-faced. His expression almost made Rochelle want to run out of the room. "Your father has been kind enough to pay us a visit, this afternoon."

Alfred Vittori smiled politely then, standing to shake hands with Dumbledore. "Thank you Professor, it has been most enjoyable, conversing with you. Would you mind terribly if I took a walk with my daughter?"

Professor Dumbledore shook his head. "By all means,"

Alfred Vittori turned around, and walked over to his daughter. He was still smiling, but that didn't mean that Rochelle's heartbeat had reduced at all. He put an arm on her shoulder, and they both silently stepped back onto the staircase.

"How have you been, Rochelle?" Alfred asked, as they stopped out into the corridor. "Your mother's been terribly worried about you."

"I'm, um, I'm all right," Rochelle replied hesitantly.

"Your studies are going well?"

"Yes."

Alfred nodded, as he they walked downstairs. Many students were walking past the corridor, and they had to wait a moment to find space to walk. "Your Uncle Abraxas asked me to come down here and check on a few things to do with the school. He's busy with Ministry work, I'm afraid."

Rochelle could only nod. "Oh."

"Yes. Home's been rather busy lately; your mother's driving me crazy about preparations for your brother's wedding. Has she told you? We plan to hold it mid-July. Perhaps once you're released for the summer holidays you'll be able to help your mother out. You've never been a bridesmaid before, have you?"

Rochelle shook her head, numbly. She didn't give a damn about being a bridesmaid; the fact that she'd been so excited about it when the wedding was first announced seemed absurd now. Why wouldn't her father simply say what he wanted to say?

"I received a rather interesting letter from Lucius."

Ah. There it was. Rochelle frowned, looking up and trying to decipher her father's expression. She couldn't tell what he was thinking at all.

Alfred Vittori stopped walking, and sat down at on an empty bench. Rochelle sat beside him, hesitantly. "Are you aware of the contents of this letter, Rochelle?"

"It's… it's nothing to worry about, Father," Rochelle said quickly. She wasn't sure if she sounded convincing, but she tried anyway. "Lucius and I have had a few misunderstandings lately."

Alfred raised an eyebrow. "Misunderstandings? Rochelle, do not play games with me. Is it or is it not true that you have been spending an unnecessary amount of time with a boy named Sirius Black? I'm not entirely certain if I should call him Sirius _Black_, because I believe his family have disowned him."

Rochelle stared back into her father's eyes, trying to convince him that she was telling the truth. "Father, I hardly know Sirius Black. I can count the number of times I've spoken to him on my fingertips."

_It wasn't a lie. _Rochelle's father looked down at her. She couldn't tell whether he believed her or not, he merely gave her a stiff nod. "And this is the truth? Can you promise me that this is the truth?"

"Of course! Father, I'm not-"

"_Listen _to me, Rochelle," Alfred Vittori said, his voice lowering dangerously. "I'm letting this go this one time, in the hopes that you do not attempt anything quite so stupid again. You're clever enough to understand that any action has consequences. No daughter of mine can be seen associating with blood traitors, and you're very lucky that this matter hasn't spread."

Rochelle nodded silently.

"I want us to be very clear on this. You will _never _speak to, or even look at Sirius Black or any of his friends again, do you hear me? If I hear a word that suggests you've been doing otherwise, you will be sent straight to France where you will continue your education in Beauxbatons. Perhaps we should have sent you there in the first place."

"_What_? Beauxbatons, but that's-"

"A wonderful school. And I'd have brought you straight home today, but your Mother insisted that I give you another chance. The only reason you're being allowed to stay is because we understand that Lucius is going through some things and has been very disturbed lately. His judgment may not be quite so reliable. "

Rochelle stared at her Father in horror. "Yet you'll believe him, but not me? I'm your _daughter_!"

Alfred gave Rochelle a hard look. "You've never given me any reason to not trust you. But this is not a matter of what _I _think, it's a matter of what other people will think. Do you realize the sort of chaos this would create, if word spread? The Blacks have successfully ruined their reputation, and I have no intention of allowing my family to follow in their footsteps."

Alfred Vittori stood up then, smoothing his robes before frowning down at her. "Don't give me any reason to have to come to this school again before your graduation."

With that, he left.

Rochelle watched Alfred Vittori leave, a sudden sense of nausea threatening to overwhelm her. She realized that the father whom she had loved and admired for the past sixteen years of her life didn't trust her. Not one tiny bit.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

"I heard that Uncle Alfred came to school today."

Rochelle ignored Lucius. She was sitting in her usual spot in the common room, curled up on a couch and staring into the crackling flames of the fire. Her Potions homework lay incomplete in front of her. She'd pulled a blanket around herself.

"Rochelle? Are you listening to me? What did Uncle Alfred say?"

Rochelle wasn't listening. She'd barely noticed that he was standing there. Her father's voice was echoing in her mind, as fresh as if he was saying the words to her now. She'd seen a different side of her father, one that he'd never shown in front of her. She'd never thought; never even _considered_ that he wouldn't believe her. She couldn't find a word for the emotion that she was feeling.

"Rochelle Vittori!" Lucius reached out and shook her shoulder, trying to get her attention. "What is _wrong _with you? I asked you what Uncle Alfred said!"

The look Lucius Malfoy received from Rochelle as she slowly turned her head was capable of chilling his bones. It was a blank, empty stare, almost devoid of emotion. He'd expected her to look angry, or even upset, but… He took a deep breath, and waited for her to respond.

"He said exactly what you wanted him to say, Lucius."

"And what does that mean?"

"Whatever you want it to."

Lucius glared at her angrily. "What sort of nonsense is this? Have you gone mad?"

"It feels like it."

Rochelle turned away from Lucius, staring back at the fire. It was dying away slowly, the flames were getting lower and lower. She pulled the blanket around herself more tightly. The Slytherin dungeon seemed unnaturally cold tonight.

_Betrayal. _

The word came out of nowhere, but Rochelle realized that it was exactly what she felt. She felt betrayed. She'd trusted her parents, spent the last sixteen years of her life trying to make them proud. And they hadn't even bothered to listen to what she said. They simply didn't care.

Did they even love her? Or had she been some sort of a showpiece all along? The perfect little daughter, adoring of her parents, ready to carry on the family line and honor and reputation. The thought made her feel sick. They'd _used_ her, and she'd let them. She'd played along with their beliefs and their pretty little family act. She'd bought it. She'd trusted them. And the moment they realized that she might not be entirely willing to play the role, they were ready to dispose of her. To cart her off to France where she would be shined and fixed and ready to use again.

She wouldn't let herself be used.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

**A/N – Phew! This one was a nightmare!**

**I wonder if the reactions in the chapter are slightly extreme. I tried to think of how my own father would react if he found out that I was spending time with the wrong sort of crowd. I do think that he would threaten to send me to another school, mainly because he knows that I love mine so much. And yes, I would be furious and probably hate him for a few days for even suggesting the idea. But I'd get over it. You'll just have to wait and see if Rochelle will. **

**I thought this would be a nice time to point out, to those who haven't already noticed, that the name of my story, 'La Trahison', means 'The Betrayal' in French. Yeah, I know, I could have just put the title in English. But it wouldn't have the same sort of elegance, you know? ;) **

**Sorry this chapter is short. I would have continued, but I thought it had more effect if I ended it here. But don't worry, Rochelle hasn't turned against her parents completely yet. I think she's just going through the shock of her father reacting in such an unexpected way. **

**Review! I'm desperate to know what you think and how I can do better. Funnily enough, I thought I had this story planned out but after a couple of really interesting suggestions, I'm starting to deviate almost entirely from what I planned. **


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Sirius Black awoke the next morning, surprisingly early. He'd kept an eye out all evening for Rochelle, but he hadn't spotted her anywhere. Even Lily admitted that Rochelle hadn't come to the library as usual to study. He tried to ignore the twisting feeling in his gut, but it was difficult. After spending the evening twitching whenever he saw a girl walk by with a plait, he realized that he had to admit something to himself.

He was worried about her.

It was odd. He felt restless, and Remus had commented on his inability to sit down in one place for a few minutes. Sirius wondered what Rochelle was doing. Had her father been furious? Was she hurt? An image of her locking herself into her dormitory, crying, crossed his mind. He pushed it away instantly. He didn't need pictures like that in his head.

"-But it's _awful_, what will I _do_? What if he fails me? Oh no, James, what if he fails me? I've worked so hard for this class, I _need _to get an O…"

Sirius entered the common room and saw Lily Evans, fully dressed in her school uniform, looking distraught. Her head was in her hands, and James was sitting beside her. His friend seemed both helpless and bewildered, but he patted the red-head's back gently.

"Lily, it's all right, he won't fail you-"

"But he _will! _He'll be so disappointed, I'm supposed to be his best student!"

Sirius shot James a curious look, and his friend sighed before responding.

"Lily, erm, forgot about the Potions assignment Slughorn set us. She hasn't done it, and Potions is first period today."

"Oh, don't worry Lily," Sirius told her casually, sitting down opposite them. "I haven't done it either."

Lily lifted her head up, and glared at Sirius. "I'm not surprised. Black. The day I start comparing my homework assignments with yours is the day I lose all respect for myself."

"You realize you said that same thing about dating James?"

Lily shook her head, frowning. "What am I going to do? How can I possibly go to class and show Professor Slughorn my face when I haven't done the assignment?"

Sirius shrugged. "What if you don't go to class?"

Lily sighed. "I'm not skipping class, Black. That'll only make things worse."

"All right, let me put it this way. What if you _couldn't _go to class?"

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle half jogged down the stairs as she made her way to Potions. She was late, and she could only hope that Professor Slughorn would excuse her this once. By the time she'd woken up, she'd had 15 minutes for class, and that wasn't nearly enough time to get ready.

"Merlin…" she mumbled, as she turned the corridor and saw it packed with students. Professor McGonagall was standing near the entrance to the Potions classroom, ordering students to go back. Most people looked confused, and many had large smiles on their faces. "What's going on?"

Rochelle looked around, and saw a familiar face. Lily Evans was standing nearby, staring at the Potions classroom looking as though she wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. "Lily! What's happened?"

Lily turned around and saw Rochelle. "Oh, there you are. Erm.. well, apparently somebody's set off a set of Dr. Filibuster's fireworks in the Potions classroom. They reacted with the ingredients in the supply closet, and-" Lily paused, as a huge rumbling noise came from behind the closed door of the Potions classroom. Rochelle stared at it in horror. "Well, _that_ happened."

"Class is _cancelled_!" Professor Slughorn yelled out, and Rochelle smiled. She could imagine who would be behind this sort of a prank.

"Well, shall we go, then?"

The two girls turned around and headed back down the corridor. Lily gave Rochelle a curious look.

"So, erm… where were you yesterday? You never came to the library, and Sirius was looking for you. He said something about your father coming into school," Lily said casually. Rochelle nodded.

"Yes he had some work with Professor Dumbledore," Rochelle began lightly, but then she paused. She was lying. Why was she lying to Lily? Why shouldn't she simply tell her friend the truth? "Actually, no. He came because Lucius told him that there was something going on between Black and me."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Oh. I take it he wasn't happy, then?"

Rochelle laughed drily. "Happy? He was furious. He threatened to send me to Beauxbatons if I ever spoke to Black again."

Lily nodded, looking thoughtful. There was silence for a moment, and Rochelle looked at her curiously.

"What's on your mind?"

"Can I ask you something, Elle?" Lily said quietly. "I'm… assuming that your father doesn't know that, erm, you and I are friends."

Rochelle froze, but she slowly shook her head. "No, he doesn't."

"Does _anyone_ know? I mean, I never noticed it until recently, but the only time we spend together is either in the library or during Prefect duties, when nobody else is around. I thought… I mean, I never wanted to say anything. But would our friendship get you in any sort of trouble?"

Rochelle stared at Lily. She'd expected that her friend would be angry that she'd never told anyone of their friendship. After all, the subtle sneaking around had always made Rochelle feel ashamed, more so recently than ever. But Lily didn't seem upset about that..

"To be honest, my parents would be furious. Their… beliefs are different, and I'm not saying that's an excuse, but-"

"Rochelle, I understand. You can't help what they think. And I'll admit that I was upset when I first realized that you were trying to keep our friendship secret from the rest of your housemates. But I think I understand your reasons now."

Rochelle shook her head. "Lily, I'm sorry. I don't know what I can do except for apologize. I'm ashamed, and I regret doing many things…but being friends with you is not one of them."

Lily smiled up at her. "Don't worry about it. Rochelle, you're the only Slytherin I know that would _never_ discriminate against me for being a Muggleborn. And I'd be a rather useless friend if I was angry with you for your parents' beliefs. Now come on; something tells me that a certain group of mischief-makers are feeling rather pleased with themselves. I've got a bone to pick with them."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle had to admit, watching Lily scold James and Sirius for almost blowing up the Potions classroom was rather enjoyable. She was still smiling to herself when she entered her dormitory during lunch, to grab a few books. An owl was sitting by Amber's cage, waiting for Rochelle with a letter tied to its foot.

Rochelle instantly recognized her brother's owl. She was surprised. Royce very rarely ever wrote to her. While her brother was a very jovial and carefree character in person, he could never gather enough patience to sit down and write a letter. She untied it, and opened the letter slowly.

_Rochelle,_

_I thought you should know that things are in rather bad shape at home. Father came home yesterday, and Mother was furious that he'd gone to Hogwarts to talk to you. She thinks he over-reacted and she's refused to speak to him until he admits that he was wrong. They're both being rather stubborn, but I think Father's going to give in soon._

_He's very worried about you. Lucius' letter shocked him, and I think he was a little hurt at the idea that you would do something like that. He's coming to his senses slowly, however. He regrets not listening to you, and he realizes that he was harsh. You know how people gossip, Rochelle. Father was afraid that someone would say something rude to you and you'd be upset. He's very protective of you. He would never have the heart to send his daughter all the way to France, he'd miss you too much. _

_There are some things going on, Rochelle, things you wouldn't quite understand. Father's been distracted lately, and he took it out on you. Don't be too angry with him. _

_I suppose things will calm down soon enough. Do me a favor and tell Lucius to keep that big mouth of his shut. I don't even know where he would get such absurd ideas from. My little sister would never associate with filth like the blood traitor Black. I'm really getting rather tired of our cousin. He keeps writing to me about all kinds of absurd things. As if I have nothing better to do. _

_Love,_

_Royce _

Rochelle stared at the letter for a few seconds, bewildered. Could Royce be telling the truth? Did her Father really regret what he'd said to her the previous day? Rochelle had to admit that he hadn't quite been himself. She should have suspected that there was something wrong. Her father would have never behaved that way unless there was something on his mind.

_Things you wouldn't quite understand. _That was the part of Royce's letter that bothered her the most. What was this mysterious thing that her entire family seemed to be hinting at, yet nobody would tell her? Was it anything to do with whatever Lucius was going through? Rochelle wondered what he'd been writing to her brother about. It seemed unlike Lucius to bother Royce unnecessarily.

Rochelle quickly folded the letter, and grabbed her books before heading out of the dormitory. She'd just entered the Slytherin common room when she almost banged into two people that were standing near the entrance to the girls dorms.

"I'm sorry!" Rochelle muttered, quickly putting a hand on the wall to stabilize herself. She glanced up and saw that it was Rabastan Lestrange she'd almost banged into. He was standing along with a vaguely familiar-looking girl. "Um, Rabastan?"

"Rochelle," he greeted her. His smile seemed almost smug, and Rochelle merely stared at him, confused. "Have you met my girlfriend, Freya Hazelwood? She's in the year below ours. Freya, this is Rochelle. She's Lucius' cousin."

Rochelle smiled politely at Freya. She was pretty, with large blue eyes and a wide smile. "Hello Freya. It's nice to meet you."

"Oh, it's wonderful to meet you too!" Freya gushed, clutching onto Rabastan's arm. Her long nails were almost the same length as her fingers, and Rochelle winced as she watched them pierce into poor Rabastan's skin. "It's always nice to get to know Rabastan's friends!"

Rochelle forced a smile and wondered when exactly she and Rabastan had become friends. She'd always considered them more… acquaintances? Rochelle wasn't sure. She forced another smile at both Rabastan and Freya, before hitching her bag up on her shoulder. "Well, I should get to class. Have a nice day, both of you."

They both smiled at her, and Rochelle quickly pushed past them to the exit. She could still hear Freya giggling as the door to the dungeons closed behind her. Rochelle resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Sirius muttered softly under his breath, as he searched the Marauders Map under the light of his wand. Most of the portraits around him were dozing off, and he was glad that James had lent him the Invisibility Cloak for this particular nighttime adventure.

"All right, where'd she go?" he asked himself softly. He'd seen Vittori on the third floor corridor a few moments ago, but the little dot with her name on it had disappeared. He scanned the surrounding corridors, until he found her dot heading towards the Astronomy Tower. Smiling, he followed it silently.

When he spotted Rochelle, she was sitting on a window ledge, halfway up the tower. She was reading another book, and Sirius frowned to himself. Didn't she ever _do _anything else? He pulled the cloak off, and walked up to her.

"Well. Not cookery again, I hope?"

Rochelle yelped in surprise. Her eyes widened, and she looked up at him, furious. "Did you have to scare me like that? I didn't hear you come up!"

Sirius shrugged, bundling the cloak under his arm. Rochelle gave it a disapproving look.

"Is that an _Invisibility Cloak_?"

"Maybe. Why?"

Rochelle shook her head, resisting a smile. "Nothing. It just explains how you and your friends manage to get around without being caught. Clever trick."

Sirius grinned. "Thank you, it is. Mind if I join you up here?"

"I don't suppose you'll listen to me if I tell you to get back to your dormitory right now or I'll give you detention? Never really seems to stop you lot anyway."

Sirius frowned. "Is that a yes or a no?"

"If you must."

He sat beside her on the window ledge, hoisting himself up. Leaning over slightly, he peeked into her book. It was another novel, but this one didn't seem to have a fake cover.

"You shouldn't read so much," Sirius advised her, with a grin. "Your eyes will go bad, and you'll end up needing glasses like James. The look wouldn't really suit you."

Rochelle smiled at him. It was another genuine smile, and Sirius found himself noticing her dimples again, the way he had yesterday. "Don't worry about me, Black. The Healers at 's told me that I will probably never need glasses. My eyes are perfect."

"They are," Sirius said quietly, and smiled when she turned a light shade of pink. She turned away from him, looking back down at her book. "What's so fascinating about those books anyway? I never see anyone else reading them."

"That's because there's a rather poor selection of wizarding fiction," Rochelle replied. "But Muggle novels…I didn't expect much when I tried the first one, but it's fascinating. The emotions and the feelings go unbelievably deep. It's amazing how Muggle have no magic but they lead equally comfortable lives. I've started to respect them much more."

Sirius looked at her, still smiling. "That's a rather dangerous viewpoint to have. I take it that you don't go gushing about Muggle novels to Malfoy."

Rochelle laughed. "I don't go _gushing _about anything to anyone. And I don't need to hide such things from you. If my views are dangerous, then yours are far worse, Black."

Sirius shrugged lightly, not responding. Rochelle sat in silence for a few minutes, watching him. He seemed rather comfortable, leaning back against the window with his legs crossed in front of him. She frowned.

"What?" he asked, noticing her expression. "Must I keep my back straight in your presence, my lady?"

"I doubt you would, even if I asked you to," Rochelle replied simply. "What are you even doing out here? I find it difficult to believe that discussing Muggle novels with me is more important to you than your sleep."

"I thought I'd ask you what happened yesterday. With your father, that is."

Rochelle frowned. She wasn't sure she wanted to discuss the event with Black, mainly because she was so confused about it herself. And she didn't want to insult her father in front of him. "It was all right. He told me that I needed to stay away from you and your friends."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Or?"

"What do you mean, or?"

"There's always an or."

"Or he'd send me to France. Beauxbatons, to be precise. But I don't think he meant it."

Sirius grinned at the thought of Beauxbatons. "The girls school? I hear there are a lot of Veela there…"

Rochelle almost laughed at the gleeful expression on his face. "Well, perhaps my father would be better off sending _you_ there. You'd certainly enjoy it more than I would."

"Probably."

Rochelle shrugged. "It's just odd, isn't it? If about a year ago, my Father had heard from Lucius that I was, erm, _spending time_ with you, I think he'd have been extremely proud of me. My mother would have congratulated me for finding someone from such a pure bloodline and everyone would have been happy. Yet the same thing happens _now _and they're ready to cart me off to another school to prevent it from happening."

Sirius grinned. "That's life. My mother would have loved to have you as her daughter-in-law."

Rochelle's eyes widened in horror. "Oh Merlin, _never_! I think I'd hang myself if I had to be her daughter-in-law. Perhaps that's one good thing that came out of it all."

"What, being married to me wouldn't have made up for her?"

"All the gold in the world wouldn't make up for Walburga Black."

Sirius laughed, and they both looked at each other for a moment. Rochelle found herself staring into his grey eyes. She'd never seen eyes quite that color before. She tore her gaze away quickly.

"What was it like?" she asked him, her voice suddenly growing softer.

Sirius was confused. "What was what like?"

"Leaving home. What was it like?"

Sirius wondered if she was mocking him, but one glance at her face told him that she was perfectly serious. There was something more than curiosity in her eyes. It was a sort of helplessness, a plea for comfort. Sirius wasn't sure whether he could give it to her.

"It was like a breath of fresh air," he said, after a few moments of thought. "It was like… I was sitting there and breathing some rotten smell all my life. And I was too scared to come out, because I was afraid that it would be worse outside. But once I gathered the courage to do it and I took in the fresh air, I only wished that I'd done it sooner."

Rochelle looked at him, frowning. "You've _never_ had any regrets?"

Sirius sighed. "Honestly? There is _one _thing that I wish I'd done differently. I should have taken my wall posters along with me. It's not like I can go back and get them."

Rochelle rolled her eyes, but she couldn't resist a smile. "Unbelievable."

"I know! I can't believe I just _forgot _them, it wasn't until I reached James' house that I realized-"

Rochelle laughed, slapping Sirius on the arm playfully. He reached out and pulled her hand into his, making her smile drop. She swallowed, and watched the emotion in his grey eyes as he intertwined their fingers together, his hand warming hers up instantly. Her fingers were limp for a moment, before they gripped his in return.

"Why would you ask me that?"

"Wh-what?" Rochelle asked, having a difficult time turning her attention away from their clasped hands.

"Why would you ask me what it was like to leave home, unless you've been having similar thoughts yourself?" Sirius asked her. "You certainly weren't just making idle conversation."

Rochelle looked up at him. "I'm not thinking about running away."

"You can't tell me that the thought has never crossed your mind."

"It _hasn't_. I love my family, Black. I don't judge you for what you did, I think I understand now. But you can't expect me to do the same thing. I could never leave my parents and my brother that way. They'd never be able to handle it."

Rochelle watched as Sirius's eyes clouded over. She could only describe the expression on his face as anger. He frowned at her, his grip on her hand tightening. "Why do you do this to yourself?"

"Why do I do what?" She asked, confused. His eyes were staring into hers, almost as if he was trying to read her mind. She felt uncomfortable, and turned her face from his, but he quickly turned it back. The hand that wasn't clasping hers held her face gently, making her look at him.

"Why do you convince yourself that you owe them something? Listen to me, Rochelle, you owe them _nothing_. They've done nothing but feed you lies and turn you into the perfect little daughter. But you weren't meant to be that. You can be so much more. Why should you let them hold you back? Why should you hold _yourself_ back?"

Rochelle swallowed, trying to turn her face away from his, again. But has hand was gripping her chin firmly. "I'm not holding back-"

"Don't lie to yourself. You can lie to other people, we all do it. But you're lying to _yourself_."

"Let me go," Rochelle muttered. She tried to twist her face out of his grip. "Black, I'm done with this, let me go. Please."

Sirius let go of her chin, and Rochelle turned her face away from him, angrily. Who did he think he was, telling her what she felt? She wasn't lying to herself. She knew exactly what she was doing. She ripped her hand out of his grasp and jumped down from the window ledge, grabbing her book. She was about to head down the stairs when she heard a voice.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

Eyes widening as she recognized the voice, Rochelle turned back to look at Sirius. "That's Ferns, he's a seventh-year prefect!"

Sirius raised an eyebrow at her. "So? Tell him you're patrolling."

"But it's not my duty tonight! I'm breaking rules as much as you are!"

Sirius jumped down from the window-seat as well, quickly shaking out the Cloak. He gestured for Rochelle to get closer, and he quickly threw it over both of them just as footsteps could be heard on the stairs to the Astronomy Tower. Rochelle hunched her shoulders together, trying to fit under the cloak while at the same time not touching Black.

"Our feet aren't hidden!" Sirius muttered, noticing that Rochelle was standing too far away from him. The Cloak was riding up and their feet were clearly showing. He grabbed her by the shoulder, pulling her so that she was standing just in front of him, her back against his chest. He kept his hands on her upper arms to hold her in place, and then bent his knees slightly so that the Cloak touched the ground.

"Anyone here? It's past curfew, you shouldn't be out!" Ferns yelled, his footsteps getting louder. He appeared on the stairs, the large, blonde seventh-year Ravenclaw looking confused. "I swear, I heard voices…"

Ferns continued up the stairs and Rochelle backed away quickly, horrified that he would brush past her. Sirius stumbled and his back hit the wall. He was pressed between it and Rochelle, who couldn't take a step forward for fear of brushing against Ferns. The prefect glanced around once, still unconvinced, before slowly heading back down the stairs.

Once he was gone, Rochelle realized that she was pressing Sirius back against the wall. She pulled the Cloak off herself and stepped away from him, giving him room to breathe.

"Didn't know you were so eager to get me up against the wall, Vittori," Sirius said, grinning. Rochelle shook her head, breathing heavily and looking horrified.

"Shut up. That was _terrifying_!"

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? The worst he could have done if he'd seen us was give us a detention. That's hardly a life-threatening situation."

Rochelle frowned. "Maybe for people like you. I've never gotten detention, nor do I plan to. And you realize that Ferns is one of the biggest mouths this school has? All of Hogwarts would have gotten some awful, exaggerated story about how he caught us both in the Astronomy Tower. Our reputations would be _ruined_."

"I wouldn't be so sure. I think I'd get a little more respect from the boys on the Quidditch team if they thought I'd shagged a Slytherin… Serious stuff, that. Not everyone can manage it," Sirius joked, but he saw that Rochelle was glaring at him darkly. "What? I was just messing around with you."

"Well, it wasn't funny. I don't consider this a _joke_, Black. Why is it that I always seem to get caught in all the wrong situations with you?"

Sirius shrugged. "Perhaps life is trying to drop you a hint, darling. Ever thought of it that way?"

**A/N – All right, sorry this one took so long! I'm not TOO happy with it, but I'm trying to get the Sirius/Rochelle stuff moving. I think it's going a little too slow, so I'm going to pick up on that now. **

**I'm a little stuck. I've got all the stuff for the distant future planned out to take place during the summer and their seventh year. But I've still got quite a bit of sixth year to finish off, so any suggestions are welcome! If you see plot points that I've kind of left hanging, or anything that you'd like to see more of in the next few chapters, let me know! **

**I was trying to show that Sirius and Rochelle are getting a little closer. They don't quite hate each other anymore, but they're not on the same page yet either. **

**Review! Tell me what you think!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Rochelle sat down in the Great Hall the next morning beside Gemma Prince, who was reading the day's edition of the Daily Prophet. She smiled at Rochelle when she saw her, and put the paper aside.

"Morning. Woke up rather late today, didn't you?"

Rochelle shrugged. She'd been waking up late more often, something that worried her. She'd always been an early riser, but sleep seemed to elude her these days. She spent most of the night lying awake in bed, only to have to wake up in the morning as soon as she fell asleep. "I suppose. Anything interesting in the news?"

Gemma shrugged, passing Rochelle the paper casually. "One of the Chasers of the Chudley Cannons has decided to retire… oh, but you're not a Quidditch fan, are you? Never mind."

Rochelle looked down at the paper, scanning the front page which contained a large interview with the Chaser about his decision to retire. Rolling her eyes, Rochelle scanned the rest of the headlines for anything that caught her eye.

"Up to 10 Muggles murdered in Cokeworth," a small column read, and Rochelle frowned. The article was minute, containing only some vague information about a large family of ten Muggles that were found dead in their home. There was nothing about any investigation, or even how they'd died. Rochelle felt disturbed. She'd heard of Cokeworth. Something about it seemed very familiar…

"Looking at the Muggle deaths, are you?" Gemma asked, buttering her toast while leaning over to see what had caught Rochelle's attention. "I wouldn't worry too much about that one. No proof that it was done by wizards."

Rochelle resisted the urge to roll her eyes. When was there _ever_ proof that a murder had been committed by wizards? Most of them were clever enough to not leave evidence, but Rochelle wasn't stupid. If a large group of Muggle were murdered, you could be almost certain that Death Eaters were behind it.

Rochelle reached over to grab a piece of toast herself, before she noticed who was sitting a few seats further down from them at the Slytherin table. Freya Hazelwood was laughing loudly, with Rabastan Lestrange's arm around her. The couple seemed to be having a little too much fun, and their smiles made Rochelle want to puke.

"Noticed them, have you?" Gemma asked Rochelle, shooting Freya a dirty look. "That one's a conniving little brat. She wouldn't be with him if it didn't benefit her, and anyway, she's a _halfblood_. There's no way Rabastan's serious about her. This wouldn't have happened if you'd just listened to me and gone for him when he was single."

"It doesn't bother me," Rochelle replied simply, reaching for the butter. "I can think of bigger problems in my life than Rabastan Lestrange's latest girlfriend. Though I'm sorry if _you_ had any hopes set on him."

Gemma scoffed. "Please. Now I know what his standards are, I can do so much better. I suppose I'll get a move on, then. See you during Potions?"

Rochelle nodded, finishing her breakfast quickly before heading down to the Potions classroom herself. She noticed that it looked as clean as ever, and there was no trace of the previous day's chaos. She slid into an empty seat quickly and waited for Slughorn to turn up to class. She smiled when she saw Lily enter the classroom. The red-head approached her, smiling weakly.

"Hello, there. I hear we're brewing in pairs today. Do you want to work together?"

Rochelle nodded, moving her bag so that Lily could sit beside her. "You look disturbed. Is everything all right?" Rochelle asked.

"I suppose not. There was a Muggle attack in my town. Almost ten people died. One of the men was my father' colleague."

Rochelle's eyes widened. "Coketown! That's where you're from, isn't it? Lily, I'm so sorry."

Lily smiled sadly. "It's all right. I didn't know them well, but I'm scared. What if it's my parents next? I'm not sure what I'd do if my family got hurt."

Rochelle felt a surge of sympathy for the girl sitting beside her. She couldn't imagine what it must be like, sitting in Hogwarts while her family faced an unknown danger with no means of protecting themselves. "Have you heard from your parents?"

"Mum wrote me. She said that they were all fine, but she talked about a load of other nonsense. I think she's trying to make sure I don't worry. I can't help it, though."

Rochelle squeezed Lily's shoulder comfortingly. The red-head smiled at her genuinely. "Oh, and I almost forgot! I mentioned you to Mum in my last letter. She seems to really like you, mainly because you're a Prefect and you get excellent grades. She wanted to know if you might like to come over and stay for a few days during summer."

Rochelle stared at Lily. She'd never been invited to stay over at a friend's place during the summer; none of the Slytherin girls she knew were close enough to her for that. She was shocked that Lily would invite her, of all people. "That sounds wonderful," Rochelle told Lily with a smile. She found herself getting almost excited at the idea. She'd never met Muggles before, and she was curious to know what they were like. Lily's family seemed like wonderful people. "I'll have to ask my parents, though, and it might be a little difficult to set dates. My brother's getting married this summer."

Lily looked pleasantly surprised. "_Really?_ I mean, I suppose I thought you'd say no. I told Mum that your parents might not be comfortable with it…"

Rochelle frowned. She hadn't intended on telling her parents that Lily was a Muggleborn. But she wasn't sure if that would hurt her feelings. "Well, I suppose they wouldn't. But…"

Lily smiled at her mischievously. "But you won't tell them, will you?"

"Not really, no. And it's all right, it's a few months away. I'm sure we'll figure something out by then. Tell your Mum it's really kind of her to invite me, and that I said thank you."

"I will."

Professor Slughorn walked into class, and the two girls turned their attention to the professor as he yelled out for everyone to get into pairs and find a cauldron. The students took a few moments to settle.

"All right!" Professor Slughorn called out, once everyone settled down. "Seeing as we lost yesterday's class due to unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances," Professor Slughorn paused as a few students sniggered in the back. "We'll really need to get to work this class. Now you'll be brewing in pairs, we're doing the Draught of Living Death. It's not easy, so I suggest you really pull your act together. 50 house points each to the pair who manages to brew the best potion. Has everyone found a partner?"

Everyone nodded their consent, and Slughorn glanced around the class curiously. "Farnheim and Bell, I don't want you two working together. Split up please, perhaps one of you can exchange seats with Miss Prince. Let's see… ah, Miss Evans and Miss Vittori," Slughorn smiled down at the two girls. "Rather a strong combination, aren't you? Perhaps we should be a bit more fair. Who can we switch you with…"

Rochelle rolled her eyes, as Slughorn scanned the classroom to find another pair he wanted to split up. She almost groaned out loud when she finally heard the names. "Ah! Mr. Black and Mr. Potter, you two look _far_ too pleased with yourselves. You're very lucky that we couldn't find any evidence linking yesterday's mischief to you."

"No idea what you're talking about, Professor," Potter replied cheekily. Rochelle glanced back to see that they were both smiling.

"All right. Miss Evans, perhaps you could go back and join Mr. Potter. Maybe you'll be able to drill _something_ into that overflowing brain of his. Mr. Black, up front, please."

Rochelle waited patiently while Lily and Sirius switched places. Bugger Slughorn, couldn't he just let her work with Lily? She scooted her chair over so that it was a respectable distance from Sirius's. Slughorn called out for everyone to get started, and Sirius grinned at her.

"Well, how may I be of assistance?" he asked, as she pulled out her textbook and flipped over to the right page. "You're the one that's good at this subject."

Rochelle frowned at him. "You can go get the ingredients while I heat up the cauldron. And don't touch anything unless I tell you to. I'm not going to let you mess up my grade this term."

Sirius shrugged, moving along with a bunch of other students to gather the ingredients that they needed for the potion. Rochelle set about grabbing all the apparatus which they required, and glancing at the instructions in the textbook. They were rather complicated, and Rochelle glanced up as Sirius returned with an armful of ingredients. "All right, here you go. What can I do next?"

"Cut up the sopophorous bean," Rochelle replied, handing him a knife. "We need all the juice. Be careful, don't let any of it go to waste."

Rochelle turned away to start powdering the asphodel root, but she realized that Sirius was clearly having trouble with the knife. His hands were too big and clumsy, and the bean seemed to slip away from him every time. She sighed. "Do you need help with that?"

"What?" Sirius asked, casually. "No, I'm all right." He brought the knife down again and this time the bean slipped out of his grasp entirely, almost falling to the floor. He caught it quickly.

"That's not how you do it," Rochelle muttered, grabbing the knife from him. Her hands brushed against his, but she pretended not to notice. "Just chop it, all right? And grip the bean with your other hand."

Sirius nodded and took it from her, attempting to chop the bean again. It failed and she groaned.

"Really, Black? You can't even cut a _stupid bean_?"

Sirius shrugged apologetically, setting the bean in place. "Show me again?"

Rochelle grabbed his wrist, which was holding the knife and guided his hand in the right movement. His skin was warm, and she was uncomfortably reminded of their encounter the previous night. Blushing slightly, she yanked her hand back, only to watch Sirius continue chopping the root with perfect precision.

She gaped at him, open-mouthed. "How on earth did you…"

He smiled cheekily, and Rochelle blushed even more, realizing that he'd fooled her. Pursing her lips together, she quickly turned back to her asphodel, and started powdering it hard.

"Relax Vittori, don't take it out on the root," Sirius joked casually, as she added the root to the cauldron. She gave him a dark look.

"Would you rather I took it out on you?"

"Not particularly."

Sirius shrugged, before glancing towards the textbook. "Is there a measure of how much wormwood we need for the potion?"

"It's not mentioned here…" Rochelle said, flipping a page in the book. "But I remember Slughorn giving us an approximate measurement in class. I don't suppose you ever took notes?"

Sirius snorted.

"I thought so," Rochelle muttered. "The notes should be in my bag. Can you grab them? I still have asphodel powder all over my hands."

Sirius picked up Rochelle's bag, and pulled out a few pieces of parchment. The first few looked to be Potions notes, written in small, pointed handwriting. He handed them over to her, before noticing another bundle of parchment. "What's this?" he asked, yanking it out. Each piece of paper contained an elaborate and detailed sketch of a different dress, most of them beautiful and expensive-looking. "Did you draw these? I didn't know you like to sketch."

Rochelle looked at the parchment and sighed. "No, I didn't draw those. Will you please put them back?"

"What are they for?"

"Possible bridesmaid dresses for my brother's wedding. My mother wanted me to have a look at them. Would you please just put them back and concentrate on the potion?"

Sirius ignored her as he flipped through the different sketches. He paused at one with a particularly low neckline, and grinned. "Well, if you want my opinion, I like this one."

"I don't _want _your perverted opinion. Just put them back, and add 40 ounces of wormwood, will you? At this rate, we'll never finish our potion before the end of class."

Sirius reluctantly put the sketches back into Rochelle's bag, and added the wormwood as she told him to. They worked in silence for a few minutes, neither really looking at the other. Professor Slughorn came by, gave their potion an approving nod, and walked away.

"Is it the right color?" Rochelle asked, leaning over the cauldron to look inside. Her plait was dangling over her shoulder, and Sirius watched as it fell dangerously close to the cauldron. He reached out and pushed it back gently, grinning as Rochelle straightened up and gave him an odd look. "It's meant to be lilac. I think we're doing all right."

"Perhaps I should work with you more often," Sirius commented, as he watched their potion turn the exact shade that the book said it should. He turned around, and called back to James. "Hey! Our potion's looking rather good, I think we'll snag those house points!"

James laughed, as he stirred his cauldron. "Not a chance! I've got Evans with me!"

"Oh, we'll see about that!"

Rochelle smiled to herself as the two boys argued about whose potion was better, until Professor Slughorn told them to be quiet and mind their own business. Sirius, unperturbed, turned back to Rochelle. "Well come on, we've got to beat James."

"Of course we'll beat them," Rochelle replied, still smiling. "Those two will be too busy gazing into each other's eyes to remember their potion."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And you're not too distracted by my _gorgeous_ eyes?"

"Please. Your eyes are the color of decomposed mould."

Sirius stepped closer to her, forcing her to look up at him. She glanced up into those sinfully mysterious grey orbs, and tried desperately to think of something else as he spoke softly. "Because I think your eyes are amazing. Blue, with just a tiny tinge of silver. Makes me think of the sky on a cloudy day. I could just stare into that sky forever…"

Rochelle's breath hitched, and she dropped the sloth's brain that she was holding. It landed with a plop in their cauldron, and Rochelle watched in horror as the potion turned a disgusting brown color, and began to bubble. "Oh no!" she cried, staring at their potion. "That wasn't suppose to go in until _after_ I stirred it, it's ruined!"

Sirius tore his eyes away from hers, and poked the potion with the stick that they were using to stir it. It only began to bubble harder, and Sirius watched it, concerned. "It's not going to blow up, is it?"

Rochelle frowned. "Oh Merlin, I hope not. Professor Slughorn!"

Professor Slughorn bustled over and waved his wand at the potion, emptying the cauldron before it could do any serious damage. He glared up at Sirius, looking annoyed. "I'm extremely disappointed with you both. Have I not mentioned multiple times in class that the sloth's brain is to be added _after_ stirring? Or have you not been listening in class?"

Rochelle bit her lip, looking down at the floor in shame.

"It was my fault, Professor," Sirius spoke up, looking at Professor Slughorn. "I added it even though she told me not to."

Professor Slughorn raised an eyebrow. "I have no doubt that is true, Mr. Black. Perhaps you can come down here after dinner tonight and sort out the rest of the sloth's brains in the supplies closet as detention."

Sirius shrugged. "Sounds like a blast, Professor."

Professor Slughorn walked away, and Rochelle gave Sirius an odd look, as he cleared away the ingredients. "You didn't have to do that. I can take responsibility for my own actions, Black."

"Yeah, well," Sirius shrugged lightly. "You said you'd never been in detention before. Everyone has a right to their own track record, I didn't want to ruin yours for you."

Rochelle frowned at him, but nodded. "Thank you."

**A/N – Well, looks like you're getting a double dose of this story today! I wasn't going to put this up until tomorrow, but I'd written it, so I thought what the hell. **

**Phew, this was the first chapter that didn't have a single break! I didn't even notice until I went back. Do you think my chapters are too long or too short? Let me know! **

**I'm still looking out for suggestions! What do you guys want to see more of? Review! **


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Rochelle had to admit, she felt guilty at dinner that evening. From where she sat at the Slytherin table, she could see that Black was nowhere around. There was no doubt that he was in Slughorn's office, sorting out sloth's brains because of her. Rochelle considered making it up to him later, but she decided against it. Why should she feel bad, anyway? He was the one who'd distracted her by getting too close and saying some nonsense about her eyes.

She ate quickly, and headed back down to the Slytherin common room once she was done. Whoever had said sixth year was difficult hadn't been joking; Rochelle found herself piled up with schoolwork at almost all times. Maybe it was her own fault for taking so many NEWTs. After her OWL results had turned out rather impressive, Rochelle's parents hadn't really bothered about what classes she took for her sixth and seventh year. As long it wasn't something stupid like Muggle Studies or History of Magic, they were satisfied.

Rochelle walked down the corridor, her shoes clacking noisily on the stone tile. It was silent, mainly because she'd left dinner early, and everyone was still there. Rochelle jumped when she heard squeals, and a pair of second-year girls came sprinting down the corridor towards her.

"Stop, there! What's wrong with you two?" Rochelle demanded, stepping in their path so they had to stop. The two girls looked terrified, and they opened and closed their mouths in horror.

"Duelling-in the-corridor," one of them managed to choke out. "Older students, they're just throwing spells at each other, it's awful!"

The other girl nodded in agreement, and Rochelle frowned, worried. Who was stupid enough to duel in the middle of the corridor and scare the younger students? Pulling out her wand, she glanced at the two girls. "Run, get a teacher. Anyone will do, these idiots are going to be in big trouble."

The girls nodded and ran away while Rochelle headed in the direction they'd come from, wand out. She could hear voices yelling as she rounded the corridor, and she picked up her pace. The yelling was getting louder, and Rochelle was certain that there were more students that she'd originally thought.

When she finally turned the corner, she realized she was right. Rochelle saw almost seven or eight people in the clearing, all shooting spells. There were a number of Slytherins on one side, including Lucius, Bellatrix and Snape. They had their wands out and were screaming curses, as jets of light shot towards James Potter and his three friends, who were trying desperately to defend themselves.

"Are you all _insane_?" Rochelle yelled, horrified. She watched as Severus Snape dangled Pettigrew by his ankle from the ceiling. The mousy Gryffindor was screaming in terror, and Rochelle glared. "Severus, put him down right now!"

Snape let Peter fall almost ten feet to the ground, where he landed with a sickening crunch. Lupin ran over to help his friend, and Rochelle found herself staring helplessly at the dueling students. What could she possibly do? There was no way she could stop them on her own.

"Lucius!" Rochelle yelled, running over to her cousin and grabbing his arm. She had to dodge a few spells, and she ducked as a stray one flew over her head. "Stop this madness, what do you think you're doing?"

Lucius glared at Rochelle, shaking her off. "Get out here, it's not safe!"

"I know bloody well it's not safe, so _stop _doing it!" Rochelle screamed at him, as he ignored her and shot another spell at James Potter. Potter had been looking the other way and he collapsed on the floor, clutching his leg. Furious, Rochelle cast a healing spell in his direction, before glancing around.

Bellatrix Black had Sirius almost cornered, and he was desperately fighting her off. Jets of light collided in the air between them, and Rochelle hastily cast a Shield Charm, sending the two flying apart. "Lucius, please! _Please _stop this madness, somebody could get seriously hurt!"

"Just stay out of it, Rochelle! _Expelliarmus!" _

Frantic and horrified, Rochelle glanced around for a way to stop the chaos. Nothing occurred to her. She couldn't do anything without possibly hurting someone. There was a shattering noise as a stray spell hit the lamp on the wall and the corridor was plunged into semi-darkness.

"_Sectumsempra_!"

"_Protego!" _

Rochelle watched in silent terror as the spell that shot out of Severus Snape's wand bounced off Potter's Shield Charm. The jet of light changed course, heading towards her and Lucius. "Lucius, _move!"_

Rochelle grabbed her cousin's arm and yanked him to the side, as soon as she realized that the spell was heading straight for him. Lucius' upper body jerked out of the way, but not before the curse hit his thigh. He screamed, a blood-curling scream of pain and terror, as large slashes appeared down his leg. Blood spread rapidly, the dark maroon staining across his pants and all over the floor. Rochelle tried to stop his limp body from collapsing, as she screamed for help.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Professor Dumbledore watched Bellatrix Black calmly, over the top of his glasses. His two pointer fingers were pressed against each other, as his elbows rested on the desk. Anyone would think that he was listening intently, but Rochelle knew better. He'd been staring at the same spot for minutes.

"I see," he said, once Bellatrix was done ranting and raving about how she'd been attacked by Sirius and James, how Remus Lupin deserved to lose his Prefect's badge and the horror that she'd gone through, trying to protect herself during the battle. "Thank you for recounting your version of tonight's occurrences, Miss Black."

Bellatrix nodded, looking rather proud of herself. She'd managed to make the Gryffindors look like brutal savages while she came off as the perfect angel. "You're welcome, Headmaster."

Professor Dumbledore smiled, finally turning to look at Rochelle. She was the only one that seemed to be uninjured, with the exception of Lucius Malfoy's blood all over her sleeves and robes. "Miss Vittori, would you perhaps like to share what you think happened tonight?"

Rochelle glanced around at the other people in the room. Remus Lupin was sitting there quietly, his head bowed down. He had a few scratches on his face, but that was the extent of his injuries. Beside him sat Severus Snape and then Marcus Avery. The two of them watched Rochelle expectantly. Her tale could determine their fate, and it was clear that they expected her to take their side. House loyalty had to count for _something _after all.

It didn't.

"I wasn't there for the entire thing, Professor, I arrived near the end of the duel. But I saw all of the Slytherins here actively involved in attacking Remus Lupin and his friends. I believe that James Potter and Sirius Black cast a few spells too, but they were mainly in self defense. The spell which injured Lucius came out of Severus's wand and bounced off of Potter's Shield Charm."

Dumbledore nodded, staring thoughtfully at the students sitting in front of him. "Well, it seems that there are quite a few versions to this particular duel tonight, but I'm rather more inclined to believe what I've heard from Mr. Lupin and Miss Vittori."

Bellatrix stared at the Headmaster. "But Professor Dumbledore-"

"You will be receiving detention, Miss Black, along with Mr. Avery. I'm told that Mr. Malfoy is currently recovering in the Hospital Wing, but he shall receive due punishment as well. The rest of you are dismissed. I'd like a few words with Mr. Severus Snape about his usage of dark magic."

Rochelle stood up carefully, and left the Headmaster's office along with the other students. There was silence, but once they were standing in the corridor, Bellatrix Lestrange turned on Rochelle.

"Some Slytherin _you _are, Vittori!' Bellatrix hissed at her. "Why couldn't you just tell Professor Dumbledore the truth? You had to betray all of us?"

Rochelle raised an eyebrow. "I _did_ tell the truth, Bellatrix. I'm sorry if you think I betrayed you, but I'm certainly not going to lie in order to save your arses. You knew what you were doing, now stop acting like a child and face the consequences."

Bellatrix pulled out her wand, and placed it at the base of Rochelle's throat. The younger girl froze, feeling the tip press into her collarbone. "_Take that back_."

Rochelle stared at Bellatrix defiantly. "No."

There was a tense silence, during which Remus Lupin spoke up. He had his wand out, and was pointing it wearily at Bellatrix. "Do you really want to start this now, Black?" he asked. "Right outside Professor Dumbledore's office? I think we've already established that he believes us more than you."

Bellatrix pursed her lips together, and gave Remus a dark glare before stuffing her wand in her robes. She grabbed a hold of Avery, who was standing there, looking confused, and dragged him down the corridor with her.

Rochelle watched them leave, rubbing her throat and then smiling at Remus.

"Thank you. I thought she was going to curse me."

"It's all right. You should get cleaned up, though. That blood isn't going to come off your robes."

Rochelle nodded, and the two parted ways.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

After a long and hot shower, Rochelle managed to clean all of Lucius' dried blood off herself. Her robes were ruined, however, and she decided to simply throw them away. She couldn't be bothered trying to get the stains off, there were just too many of them. She stepped out into her dormitory and pulled fresh clothes on, while attempting to dry her hair.

"Some duel, eh?" Gemma asked. Most of the Slytherins had been eager to ask what happened as soon as they saw her blood-stained clothes. It was as though they were expecting some horrific tale, and the truth seemed to disappoint them. "It's a pity about your robes, though. I don't suppose you can salvage any part of them?"

Rochelle shrugged, pulling her hair back with a clip. It was still wet, and she couldn't be bothered to dry it completely. Gemma watched her with raised eyebrows as Rochelle put her wand in her pocket and pulled on her shoes. "Where are you going?"

"Hospital Wing," Rochelle replied simply.

It felt like a long walk there, mainly because it was after-hours and the school was empty. Rochelle wasn't too afraid of getting caught; after all, her cousin had almost bled to his death earlier that night. Nobody was going to stop her from seeing him.

She entered the Hospital Wing, noticing that Madame Pomfrey was nowhere to be seen. Sirius Black, James Potter and Peter Pettigrew were all lying on separate beds, Remus sitting in a chair nearby. They looked up when she entered, and she gave them a weak smile.

"You lot all right?" she asked softly. Peter raised his eyebrows. His arm was in a cast, and there was some cream spread on the side of his face.

"Better than Malfoy. They've got him in the other room, we heard him screaming a while ago."

Rochelle winced, and Sirius glared at Peter darkly. "I doubt she wants to hear that, Peter."

Rochelle shrugged, pulling out the box of Chocolate Frogs she'd brought, and placing them on the table beside Sirius' bed. He tried to sit up, but frowned when he couldn't. He shot her a cheeky smile, instead. "Got an endless supply of those, have you?"

"Don't flatter yourself. I brought the deluxe box for Lucius."

"No card?"

"Didn't have the time to write one."

Sirius shrugged, looking at Rochelle. She seemed exhausted, although thankfully she'd gotten rid of the blood-stained clothes. Marching into the middle of a duel had been a pretty stupid move on her part, and Sirius was relieved that she hadn't gotten herself hurt. He'd been so sure that Snape's spell would hit her, and not Malfoy.

He noticed that she'd left her hair loose, damp locks of hair curling down her back. It made her look different, more innocent than the usual graceful Rochelle he saw. A worried look crossed her face, and he decided he wanted to make her smile.

"I love your new hairstyle."

It worked. A small smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. "You would."

"You should leave it like this more often."

"Like what? Wet and sticking to my clothes?"

Sirius smiled and was about to retort, when he saw his friends all watching him closely. He felt uncomfortable, and shifted around a bit. Thankfully, Madame Pomfrey entered the room just then, and spotted Rochelle.

"Miss Vittori! I wasn't aware that you were here. Mr. Malfoy has woken up, if you'd like to speak to him," she said, smiling kindly.

Rochelle nodded, quickly standing up and following Madame Pomfrey out of the room. Sirius watched her leave, before turning back to face James who was giving him a curious look. "What?"

James raised an eyebrow. "I'll tell you what. You've been sitting there and sulking for the past two hours, and as soon as Vittori walks in, your face lights up. There's something horribly screwed about that mate, and I think you know it."

Sirius frowned.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle had to admit, the sight of Lucius made her feel sick. He was pale and looked half-dead from having lost so much blood. He barely turned to look at her as she entered the room and sat down slowly beside his bed.

"How are you feeling?" Rochelle asked him, softly. All traces of anger disappeared from her face at the sight of his pathetic-looking figure. She forced a smile at him. "Does it hurt?"

"Not-much." Lucius admitted, attempting to sit up. Rochelle helped him quickly, putting a pillow behind his back and allowing him to use her shoulder as support. "I think Madame Pomfrey gave me something for the pain. I just feel a little light-headed."

Rochelle nodded. "Are you hungry?"

"Not really. Maybe I'll eat tomorrow, I don't feel up to it, now."

"Can I get you anything else?"

Lucius shook his head, and they both sat silently for a few moments. Rochelle couldn't help but stare at the thick bandages that were wrapped around his leg, and his pale face. Lucius followed her gaze and realized that she was staring at his leg.

"I'm lucky it was only in my thigh. Madame Pomfrey said that if the spell had hit my chest or my head, it might have been a lot more dangerous. I have you to thank for that."

Rochelle frowned, and she felt herself shake slightly. She couldn't imagine what would have happened if Lucius had been severely hurt. Granted, she'd barely spoken to him in the past few days, but that didn't mean that she wanted something this awful to happen to him. Lucius noticed her eyes shining, and he frowned at her.

"Are you crying? Rochelle, seriously. I'm fine, please don't cry."

She shook her head, pursing her lips together and trying to stop the tears from flowing out. She took a few deep breaths and managed to calm herself before looking up at Lucius. "Um, Professor Dumbledore sent a letter to your father about what happened. Uncle Abraxas wrote me a note saying he was planning to come see you tomorrow. He's worried."

Lucius' face fell. "Didn't you tell him I was fine?"

"I wasn't sure you were. Anyway, he sounded rather firm, so I didn't bother writing back."

Lucius nodded, turning his head to look out of the window. It was dark outside, and the two of them sat in silence for a few more minutes. Then Lucius turned back to Rochelle.

"Where's everyone else?"

"Well, Bellatrix and Avery are probably in the dorms, they got off with a couple of detentions. Potter, Black and Pettigrew were all injured, they're in the other room. And I don't know what happened to Severus. Dumbledore was still talking to him when I left."

Lucius frowned. "Is he in trouble?"

"I'm fairly certain he is."

"But he wasn't even aiming for me, he wanted to hit Potter!"

Rochelle stared at Lucius. "How does that make it any better? Lucius, you do realize that what he used was some seriously dark magic? Nobody's ever _heard _of that curse before, even Professor Dumbledore looked stumped! Look what it _did _to you, how can you support him?"

Lucius turned away from Rochelle, his gaze going back to the window. "See if you can get him let off easy. You're a good student, Professor Dumbledore will listen to you if you tell him that it wasn't Severus' fault."

"But it was."

"So? Do you want to see him get expelled?"

Rochelle frowned angrily, glaring at her cousin. What was wrong with him? How could he defend the boy that had practically drained all the blood out of his body with single spell? "I'll do no such thing, Lucius. If Professor Dumbledore thinks that Severus deserves to be expelled, then maybe he does."

"He's my friend. You can't possibly tell me that you'll let him get into trouble because of those filthy Gryffindors? Have you seen how they treat him?" Lucius demanded. He sat up slightly, and then relaxed, sinking back into his pillow. "It's no matter. If you won't help Severus, I'll ask Father to. I'll tell Father that it wasn't his fault, and those filthy Gryffindors will be punished instead of Severus."

Rochelle stared at her cousin, unable to believe that he would go that far. A sudden surge of disgust welled up inside her. "Of course. Go ahead Lucius, be a child. Go running to your daddy and mine whenever there's the tiniest little problem, why don't you?"

Lucius frowned. "Don't tell me you're still sore about me writing a letter to your father."

"_Sore_? He bloody threatened to send me to Beauxbatons because of whatever you wrote! Now don't you dare try to convince me that my Father would go that far if you hadn't fed him some horrible, exaggerated lies!" Rochelle hissed, angrily.

"I simply told him what I saw."

"Oh? And you know what I see, Lucius? I see you, and Severus Snape and all of your filthy little gang sitting together and inventing dark spells in your free time. Am I wrong?"

Lucius was silent.

Rochelle stood up, placing the chocolates she'd brought on the bedside table, with a loud bang. "Get well soon, _cousin._"

And she walked out of the room angrily.

**A/N – Okay, there you go! As I said, I'm not very good at action scenes, and I know the description of the duel sucked, so I'm sorry about that. I hope it wasn't too bad. Next chapter might take a couple of days, I'm afraid. **

**Review! **


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

"What is _wrong _with everyone?" Rochelle demanded, as she walked out of Charms with Gemma the next morning. Mulciber had been the third Slytherin today to glare at her, and Rochelle couldn't fathom what was going on. She'd never spoken to him in her life!

"Hm?" Gemma asked, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, you mean the dark looks? Well, I suppose you might as well know. Bellatrix has been spreading some… unflattering things about you. Something to do with how you betrayed the entire house or some crap like that. Don't worry. Anybody with sense knows to take Bellatrix Black with a pinch of salt."

"I didn't _betray _the house!" Rochelle snapped, annoyed. "And I'm tired of the glares. I told Professor Dumbledore what I saw. What, she didn't think I was going to _lie_ for her, did she? Like she's made my life any easier over the past few years."

Gemma frowned. "No, but she'll probably make it a lot more difficult now. Bellatrix enjoys holding grudges. It's one of her favorite hobbies; comes right after hexing innocent first years."

Rochelle sighed, exasperated. She had enough to think about without having all her housemates turned against her. What was their problem, anyway? Slytherins were never big on loyalty; they did what they had to do to get what they wanted. Backstabbing and betrayals were a common consequence of that.

"Ow!" Rochelle hissed, as a large seventh-year Slytherin rammed into her, hard. Rochelle dropped her bag and her books, papers flying around everywhere. She turned to glare at him, but he simply gave her a smile and was gone. "Bloody arse."

Gemma frowned, looking at the mess that Rochelle's bag and ink bottles had created on the floor. "That's going to take a while to clean up…"

Rochelle shrugged, bending down to pick up her things. "It's all right, you go ahead. I have a free period now anyway, I don't want to make you late to your class."

"Are you sure?"

Rochelle nodded, and Gemma left. She started to gather her things, and stuff them back into her bag. An arm shot out in front of her, and handed her a sheaf of paper. Glancing up, Rochelle saw Sirius Black.

"Out of the Hospital Wing already?" she asked him, taking the parchment, gratefully. Sirius waved his wand, and some of the sheets which had flown away due to the wind came back.

"You sound disappointed."

Rochelle smiled. "I'm not. I was just wondering. How are your friends?"

Sirius shrugged, picking up a broken ink bottle. "James is fine, Peter should be back by this afternoon, he was hurt the worst of us all. I suppose Snivellus thought he was an easy target. No chance the little git got expelled, is there?"

Rochelle sighed. "Well, I saw him in class earlier, so no, I don't think he did. Somebody said something about Dumbledore writing home to his parents. I really don't know what happened. I doubt it's anything too serious, though. Lucius plans to back him up."

Sirius looked shocked. "He practically cursed his leg off!"

"Well, it seems that apparently Slytherins don't tell on each other anymore. I failed to receive the memo, otherwise I might have prevented myself from facing Bellatrix Black's wrath," Rochelle muttered irritably, gathering the last of her things. She held up a sheaf of papers that were covered in spilt ink and frowned down at them.

Sirius smiled, slightly. "So that bloke _did _shove you on purpose, then? Are those papers any important?"

Rochelle nodded, waving her wand at them and murmuring a few spells under her breath. The extra ink siphoned off, but there were still blots all over the pages. She shoved them in her bag, anyway. "I spent all night writing these up. Can't you just do something stupid so that Bellatrix forgets about me and spends her time plotting _your_ murder instead?"

"Excuse me? I spent all night in the Hospital Wing because of her. Do you have any idea how painful those beds are? Stiff as a board, my back's been aching all morning."

Rochelle rolled her eyes. "Sounds _horrendous." _

"Then again, I've never managed to do something stupid enough to make my entire house hate me."

Rochelle glared at him. "_Pardon_? This stupid thing I did saved your arse, or you'd be sitting with Bellatrix in detention right now!"

"All right, all right, it was a joke! Don't take everything so bloody seriously!"

A head of familiar platinum blonde hair caught Rochelle's eye over Sirius's shoulder, and she glanced down the full corridor, trying to see who it was. Lucius couldn't have gotten out of the Hospital Wing already, could he? Madame Pomfrey had said that he would need another two or three days in there at least. The head disappeared, and then Rochelle saw it again, before another bunch of students blocked it once more.

That wasn't Lucius.

"You need to go," Rochelle insisted, turning to Sirius. He frowned, looking somewhat bewildered.

"What?"

"_Leave!_ Now, Black!"

"You're not _angry_, are you?' Sirius asked, looking surprised. "Bloody hell, Rochelle, it was just a joke-"

Rochelle turned around, and saw that Abraxas Malfoy had come into sight. He was walking towards her, but Rochelle couldn't tell if he'd seen her or not. Lowering her voice, she gave Sirius a meaningful look.

"Listen to me. It's not that. Just please walk in the direction you're facing, and _don't_ turn your head around, whatever you do, okay? I'll explain later, just go."

Sirius still looked confused, but followed her instructions, walking down the corridor without turning around. Rochelle quickly sat down on a bench nearby and pulled out a sheet of parchment, pretending to engrossed in reading it.

"Rochelle!"

Rochelle glanced up, feigning surprise at seeing her uncle. He was a tall and rather intimidating man, with the trademark Malfoy hair and a permanent frown on his face. She smiled at him, and prayed that he hadn't seen Sirius. "Uncle Abraxas! Have you been to the Hospital Wing? Madame Pomfrey said that Lucius was doing much better."

Her uncle nodded, without a hint of a smile. "Yes, I've been to see him. I also spoke to your Headmaster about letting that Snape boy off easy. Lucius tells me he's a very clever young man who shows a lot of promise."

Rochelle frowned. Promise? For what exactly, to become a Death Eater? She ignored the comment. "Oh."

Abraxas Malfoy nodded. "Well, I should be going, urgent work at the Ministry. Your father sends his love, he's in France at the moment."

"Oh. Thank you."

Abraxas Malfoy nodded curtly, before turning around and walking away. Rochelle was unsurprised. He was a man of very few words, not one for idle conversation. She let out a breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding and waited for his figure to disappear, before picking up her bag and walking down the corridor.

Sirius Black was waiting for her at the end, leaning casually against the wall. He pushed himself off it when he saw her, and raised his eyebrows. "Was that Malfoy's _Dad_? Looks like he has a stick up his arse."

Rochelle smiled. "That's Uncle Abraxas, yes. And he always looks like that."

"Came to check on his son, did he?"

Rochelle nodded. "Yes, I'm sorry I made you leave, it's just that he probably knows about the whole issue that happened before, and…"

Sirius interrupted her. "You don't want to go to Beauxbatons. Understood, you don't need to apologize. But I only saw him once before, and I was much younger. I doubt he knew what I looked like, anyway."

"That's a relief."

Sirius nodded, and they both stood in silence for a few seconds. Rochelle suddenly felt awkward, and unsure what to say.

"Um, well. I should go," she said finally. "I'll see you in Potions, then."

"Of course. I don't suppose you've got Prefect duties tonight?"

"Yes, I do. Why?"

Sirius grinned. "Maybe I'll stop by."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle sat alone at the dinner table that evening, parchment spread all around her while she tried to eat at the same time. Samira Frey, the Head Girl, was a seventh-year Hufflepuff girl who enjoyed the benefits of her position, while delegating the work to others. Rochelle usually ended up doing most of her work, mainly because she had a difficult time saying no.

She was currently drawing up the timetable that had been followed for the last four months, for the nighttime Prefect duties. It was a long and boring task, which Rochelle had already done the previous night, before that Slytherin smacked into her and spilled ink all over it.

Rochelle sighed, as her quill scratched on the paper. Most prefects stuck to the schedule they were given, but occasionally one or two would be unable to take the duty and they'd switch days with someone else. Samira was one of them, Rochelle noticed, along with Remus Lupin. In fact, he seemed to switch duties with someone almost every month.

Rochelle frowned, as she noticed a small pattern start to appear. Remus Lupin had exchanged duties with one of the Ravenclaw Prefects on the 15th of September. Then he was entirely regular in his schedule, all the way up until the 14th of October. He'd asked _her _to take up his duties that night, because he wasn't feeling well. Rochelle remembered that he had looked rather pale while asking her about it, and she'd agreed immediately.

There was nothing in the month of November, because he hadn't been assigned a duty in the first two weeks at all. But once again, on the 13th of December, somebody else had taken up Lupin's duty. The coincidence was too striking to be true, yet Rochelle could see no explanation. How was he unable to take up duties _exactly_ every 29 days?

There was a loud bang from the end of her table, and Rochelle jumped. She put down the sandwich she'd been holding, and turned to look at the commotion.

"Bloody hell! It's my skin, what's wrong with my skin?" a loud voice bellowed. Rochelle realized that the sound was coming from Rookwood, the large seventh-year who'd banged into her that morning. He was staring down at his hands, which were slowly turning a dark emerald green. He tried desperately to wipe off the color, but it only spread further up his arm. Small stripes of silver were beginning to appear as well.

Most of the students from the other houses were laughing, and Rochelle couldn't help it either. It seemed that somebody had decided to turn Rookwood's skin the color of his house. Rookwood jumped around in horror as the green and silver stain reached his neck. "Stop it! Damn it, stop it! Who's _doing _this?"

Rochelle had a sneaking suspicion, and she glanced at the Gryffindor table to see that she was right. While most of the students were laughing obviously, only James Potter and Sirius Black were trying to hide their smiles. She watched them until she caught Sirius's gaze. He gave her a cheeky grin and slowly pressed a finger to his lips. Rochelle rolled her eyes, but she couldn't resist a giggle.

Maybe Sirius Black was capable of being sweet.

**A/N – Okay, here was a short one. I didn't have a lot of time, and I think I might need two more days to get the next one up. I promise that from next week, I'll be updating a LOT more regularly. **

**Let me know what you think! I want ideas, and to know how I can do better. Anything you'd like to see more of, or that you don't like? Someone asked for more James/Lily, so I think I'll be doing that in a bit. **

**Review! It makes me happy!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

A large black dog walked down the corridor leading to the Gryffindor tower. His tongue was hanging out, and his tail wagged slightly as a rat scurried beside him. The two animals reached the end of the corridor together, but the rat stopped at the turn. He cocked his head to the side slightly, and the dog peeked around the corner.

An almost human smile spread across the dog's face. Wagging his tail one last time, his body shifted slowly until, standing in his place was Sirius Black. Sirius glanced down at the rat, gave him a reassuring smile, and walked down the corridor to greet Rochelle.

"I hope you weren't waiting too long," he called out cheerfully. Rochelle turned around slowly, not showing any signs of surprise. Sirius couldn't help but grin. She'd clearly been expecting him, or the sudden voice would have startled her.

Rochelle raised her eyebrows. "You flatter yourself too much."

Sirius shrugged, leaning against the wall beside her. They looked at each other, Rochelle's mouth curving upwards slightly. She seemed to be remembering something amusing.

"What?" Sirius asked her.

"I was just thinking about what happened to Rookwood at dinner today. Funny, wasn't it? I wonder who could possibly dislike him quite so much…"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Thank you would be sufficient."

Rochelle smiled at him fully then, the small dimples in the corners of her cheeks more visible than ever. Sirius felt the urge to reach out and poke one with his finger. "In that case , thank you. I don't think I've laughed that hard in quite a while. It was very sweet of you."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Oh, and _now_ who's flattering themselves? You assume that I did it for you. I'm sorry if you saw it that way."

Rochelle raised her eyebrows. There was an almost mischievous glint in her eyes, something that Sirius had never seen before. He found that he rather liked it. She folded her arms across her chest, smiling.

"Here's what _I _see, Black. You sneak out of your dorm at night just to talk to me. You try to gift me expensive jewellery. You take the blame in Potions, even though it's my fault. And you play a prank on a boy just because he tripped me in the hall. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems you _fancy _me."

Sirius stared at her, open-mouthed. The familiarity of the words shocked him, as well as the teasing tone in her voice. Was this _Rochelle Vittori_ flirting with him? What had gotten into her? Sirius found himself almost speechless. "Did you just-"

"Yet for some reason you won't admit it," she continued, the smile on her face growing wider as she took in his expression. "Why? Is it because I'm a pureblood?"

Sirius stared at her for a few seconds, before the two of them started laughing. Their laughter echoed in the empty corridor, and they both stopped rather quickly. Sirius found himself unable to drop the smile.

"I'm proud of you Rochelle," he said, as she grinned back at him. "It seems that you're learning rather well. What brought on the sudden change?"

Rochelle shrugged lightly. She opened her mouth to speak, but her eyes fixed on something behind his back and she let out a small yelp instead. Surprised, Sirius turned around to see Peter scuttle across the corridor in his animagus form.

"Was that a _rat_?" Rochelle asked, her voice laced with disgust and a tinge of worry. Sirius found the look on her face amusing. Perhaps she was a typical _girl_ after all.

"Why? You're not scared, are you?"

"What? No!" Rochelle insisted, sounding rather defensive. "I just don't like them. Who does? Disgusting, diseased little- _Merlin, there it is again!_"

Sirius couldn't resist a laugh this time. She'd actually jumped and grabbed his arm. Rochelle didn't have long nails like most girls, or the action could have been quite painful for him. "Who knew? The Slytherin ice princess is afraid of rats."

Rochelle released his arm, giving him a dark look. "Don't call me that. And I'm not _afraid_ of rats, I just dislike them. My brother had one in his first year, and the disgusting creature got into my closet and nibbled holes in all my clothes. I've never seen one in Hogwarts before, or I'd have complained about it."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Well, perhaps you'd be better off in Beauxbatons, then. I doubt that they have rats running around."

"No, that school has a different sort of vermin entirely."

"Nothing satisfies you, does it?"

Rochelle rolled her eyes lightly, before turning to look at him. He'd tilted his head to the side, and she suddenly noticed a long red mark near the side of his neck. It looked like a scratch, and Rochelle grabbed hold of his chin, tilting it so she could see it better.

"You're not going to kiss me, are you?" Sirius joked, surprised at her sudden proximity.

"Shut up. You're bleeding, there's a cut on your neck. Haven't you even noticed?"

Sirius frowned, reaching up to touch his neck and then making a face when his fingers came away with a little bit of blood. "Oh this? It's nothing, it um… happened earlier. I fell."

Rochelle raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "I'm not an idiot, Black. That doesn't look like you fell, it looks like something scratched you. I'd say it was a claw mark."

"You didn't let me finish. I fell in the dormitory and erm, I landed on James' owl. It freaked out a little and started clawing at my face. It's a little temperamental, doesn't like anybody, much. I don't think James feeds it enough."

Sirius watched as the disbelief left her face, and almost breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't look entirely convinced, but she wasn't going to question him. He frowned, however, when she removed her hand from his chin. "Come on, then. We'll go down to the Hospital Wing."

Sirius's face turned white. He _couldn't_ let her drag him to the Hospital Wing, Remus was there with James! Eyes widening, he tried to think quickly. "What? Why would I need the Hospital Wing? It's just a scratch, it'll be fine."

"No, it won't. It might get infected."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then why don't you heal it yourself? Madame Pomfrey seems to think you're rather good at healing spells and the like, doesn't she? It's all right, I trust you."

Rochelle gave him an odd look. "It's not a matter of whether or not you trust me. I _do _know a spell that could heal that, but I'm almost certain that it would leave a scar. I doubt you want one of those marring your pretty face."

Sirius grinned, stepping closer to her. He was almost certain that he had her now. "Oh? So you think my face is pretty?"

Rochelle frowned, clearly uncomfortable. She stepped away from him, and Sirius almost laughed at how easy it was to distract her. "What? No, it's just… it's just generally accepted that-"

"That I'm handsome?"

"_No_, I believe I said pretty."

Sirius took a step closer to her. Rochelle was starting to look panicked now, and she was biting her lip furiously. His dark grey eyes were far too close to her own for comfort. "Handsome, pretty, same thing. The point is, you think I'm good-looking. Is that why you get so flustered when I'm close to you?"

"I-I don't get flustered when-"

"I see you haven't stopped lying to yourself."

Rochelle's eyes darkened, and she took a deep breath before shoving him away from her. He stumbled back a few steps in surprise, but she was determined not to let him closer. "You can't keep doing this."

"Doing what?"

"Doing.. what you just did now! Invading my personal space! It's extremely disturbing, not to mention rude, and you need to stop. And while you're at it, you can stop _judging_ me all the time as well."

Sirius smiled. _"Judging _you? All I said was that you lie to yourself, and it's true. You tell yourself that you're a perfect obedient little Slytherin, but you're not. If you ask me, I think you're a bit of a rebel, you just haven't accepted it yet."

Rochelle stared at him. "_Rebel_?"

"Don't act so surprised, Vittori. Your father told you, rather clearly, that you weren't supposed to speak to me ever again. And what are you doing right now?" Sirius argued.

"That doesn't count. He only said that because he thought there was something going on between us, and as it's obvious that there _isn't_ anything-"

"Isn't there? I thought we already established that we fancy each other."

"That was a _joke!_" Rochelle retorted, angrily. "I apologize if you got your hopes up, but I wouldn't be caught dead fancying the likes of you!"

There was a moment of silence, and Sirius stared at her, his warm grey eyes suddenly turning colder. "The likes of me. A blood traitor, you mean?"

Rochelle sighed. "That's not what I meant. It slipped out."

"That's exactly what you meant. And you're right. I _did _get my hopes up that you weren't like the rest of your family, but it seems I was wrong. What happened to understanding what I did?"

"I _do _understand what you did! There you go again, Black, you're judging me for something that I didn't even mean! Can't you just… leave me alone? Some people don't like it when their every word is analyzed by other people, all right?"

Sirius frowned. "Fine."

"Fine?"

"Yeah, all right. Go ahead, say whatever you want. I'm not going to analyze you."

Sirius looked down at Rochelle as she watched him, her blue-grey eyes looking both confused and hurt. After a moment, she slowly took a step back, and turned around, walking away from him. Sirius sighed.

Well. At least she'd forgotten about the Hospital Wing.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle had just gathered her things and was exiting the Slytherin common room that morning, when she came face-to-face with Rabastan Lestrange. She was tired and frustrated, and in no mood to deal with him. Rabastan smiled at her in greeting, and she gave him a weak smile back.

"Rochelle, I've been looking for you. Lucius wanted to see you in the Hospital Wing," he told her. Rochelle frowned, feeling a sudden burst of irritation.

"Does he, now? How interesting," she muttered coldly. Rabastan looked surprised at her iciness.

"Pardon?"

"You're welcome to tell my dear cousin that I'm not a house elf to be _summoned_ at his will. I'm busy, and if I feel like it, I might go down and see him when I have the time. He needn't wait up."

Rabastan frowned at her. "What is wrong with you? You never used to speak so rudely. I've noticed a rather drastic change in your behavior recently, Rochelle, and I must say that I'm-"

Rochelle rolled her eyes. "Spare me the lecture. I have work to do. You're blocking the entryway."

She shoved past him with her armful of parchment, and slid out of the Slytherin common room, not bothering to look back. She had enough on her mind without Rabastan Lestrange admonishing her for her behavior.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

"I heard that you're the reason Bellatrix has detention for the rest of the school year."

Rochelle glanced up, and saw that Andromeda Black had slid into the seat beside her at lunch that afternoon. Rochelle was sitting further away from the rest of the Slytherins, mainly because she hadn't stopped receiving the dark looks yet. She rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry, but I won't apologize for getting her in trouble. She deserved it."

"I don't doubt that. You don't mind me joining you for lunch, do you?"

"No, but it's at your own risk. Gemma made it rather clear this morning that she couldn't be seen talking to me for the next few days unless she wanted to be detested by the rest of our house as well."

Andromeda shrugged. "Well, I never liked that Gemma girl much anyway, though she's one to be talking. She went out with McLaggen in fifth year. You know, the Gryffindor? I caught them, and she made me swear not to tell anyone."

Rochelle rolled her eyes. "I'm not surprised."

"You seem rather bitter this morning."

"I just had a rough night."

Andromeda nodded. "I don't suppose it was anything to do with my cousin?"

Rochelle whipped her head around to look at Andromeda, startled. "Why would you think it had anything to do with Sirius Black? Has he said something?"

"He says plenty of things, not all of which are to do with you. I hope you don't take him too seriously. Sirius likes thinking that he knows other people better than he really does, and it gets him into sticky situations sometimes."

"I've noticed. I just don't understand him. I've been calling him a blood traitor for years, but somehow he got really upset last night."

Andromeda gave Rochelle a long, searching look. There was a pause as the two girls ate, and then Andromeda spoke up again.

"Narcissa is worried about Lucius," she commented.

"Of course she is. He nearly had his leg hacked off by one of his best friends."

"No, she thinks he's been acting oddly. I remember you saying something similar. Did you ever find out what was wrong with him?"

Rochelle frowned. "I tried, but he wouldn't tell me much. We haven't been on the best of terms lately; all our conversation seem to turn into arguments. Why? Has she noticed anything unusual?"

"She thinks that he keeps getting letters, and they seem to upset him. She's not sure who they're from. I'm worried about her, she really looks up to him."

"I'll go visit Lucius this afternoon, and try to ask him a few questions."

Andromeda nodded. "Thank you. How is your own family doing? I hear that your brother is getting married this summer. I suppose you'll be one of the bridesmaids?"

Rochelle sighed. "Yes. I'm a little tired of talking about the event, to be honest. I have half a mind to just run off for the day and skip the entire wedding. No doubt my parents will use the occasion to find me a fiancée."

Andromeda looked at Rochelle curiously. "And suppose they did? Would you marry him?"

Rochelle frowned. "Well… I mean, there would be a long engagement, I expect, they won't marry me off while I'm still in Hogwarts, but-"

"But you will marry him, eventually? The man that your parents choose for you?"

"I… I suppose I trust their decision. They'd want me to be happy, I'm sure he won't be a complete troll."

Andromeda nodded thoughtfully. She didn't say anything, however, and Rochelle felt disturbed. The expression on Andromeda's face was too similar to the one Sirius had when he was judging her every move. She frowned.

"Why are you asking me this?"

"I don't know. Just curious, I suppose."

Rochelle nodded, but she didn't feel satisfied.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

When Rochelle entered the Hospital Wing later that afternoon to visit Lucius, she noticed that Remus Lupin was lying on one of the beds. Madame Pomfrey was fussing over him, and neither of them really noticed her as she slipped past them to the smaller room where Lucius was currently healing.

"There you are. I asked to speak to you this morning, where were you?" Lucius demanded, as she entered the room. She forced herself to calm down. She wasn't going to get angry at her cousin.

"I was busy. What did you need to speak to me about?"

Lucius frowned at her. His leg was still wrapped in a cast, but most of the color had returned to his face since the last time she saw him. He looked rather well. "I need you to talk to Narcissa. Tell her to leave me alone for a while, she's been bothering me."

Rochelle looked at him incredulously. "She's _worried _about you, from what I've heard. Lucius, I refuse to let you mistreat Narcissa Black. She's a very sweet girl, and you're lucky to have her."

Lucius's expression softened slightly. "I know. She's just been asking too many questions, and I don't know how to answer them."

"How about honestly?"

Lucius made a face. "I can't. I'm not allowed to speak about it, and I certainly wouldn't tell her, anyway. She tells her sister everything."

"Andromeda?"

"Bellatrix."

"Ah. The one who's been making my life miserable for the past few days."

Lucius sighed. "I heard about that. I spoke to Bellatrix this morning, and she's promised to stop spreading whatever she's been spreading about you. It'll all stop by tomorrow, I promise. I'm sorry you had to go through that at all."

Rochelle's anger died down softly. She hadn't expected that he would do something like that for her. "Erm, thank you. Since when does Bellatrix Black listen to you, anyway?"

"Since I've been highly favored by… it doesn't matter. She'll stop doing it, that's what's important. Will you or will you not say something to make Narcissa stop worrying about me?"

Rochelle shook her head. "I won't. I'm grateful that you spoke to Bellatrix, but I'm not going to lie for you. I can't reassure Narcissa Black that everything is all right when I'm not sure it is. Won't you tell me what's wrong?"

Lucius glared at her. "We've spoken about this before, Rochelle, I can't-"

"No, we haven't. Tell me what it is that's troubling you so much, and maybe I'll handle Narcissa for you."

Lucius was silent. He turned his head towards the window and gazed out of it, ignoring her. Rochelle refused to give up. "Is it something to do with your father? Has Uncle Abraxas said something to you, or is he expecting you to do something?"

Lucius didn't say anything. He didn't turn to look at her either, but Rochelle pressed on. "Is it something dangerous? Why can't you tell me?"

"Your father would be furious with me if I told you."

Rochelle sighed. "What is he trying to hide from me? Lucius, _please_. If my father is involved in this, then that's all the more reason for me to know. I'm not a child, you know that. How is it that everyone seems to know something I don't? Why is it that you'll talk to my brother but not me?"

Lucius's face turned white. "He told you that?"

"Royce said you've been writing to him. You never did before."

"He understands what it's like."

"What _what's _like?"

"Rochelle, I can't. Your father will kill me-"

"I won't tell him! I'm not like you Lucius, I won't go running to my parents for every small thing that happens!" Rochelle insisted angrily.

There was a pause, while Lucius Malfoy stared down at the white sheets that covered the Hospital Wing beds. Rochelle watched as a battle raged behind his eyes, she could almost hear him arguing with himself. She waited patiently, before his eyes snapped up with a sudden ferocity.

"Shut the door."

Rochelle stared at him. "Pardon?"

"Bloody hell, shut the door! I can't risk us being overheard."

Rochelle obeyed, quickly walking over to the door of Lucius's room and shutting it. She twisted the lock, and then came back and sat down in the chair beside the bed.

"Promise me you won't scream."

"_What?"_

"Promise me!"

Rochelle nodded, feeling worried now. "I promise."

Lucius nodded, taking a deep breath. Then he pulled his left arm out from under the sheet, covered by the long white sleeve of the loose shirt he was wearing. Rochelle watched, in silent horror, as he ripped the sleeve up and held out his forearm to her.

Rochelle wished she could scream.

**A/N – Clifhanger? I suppose it's not, because we all know that there's only one thing that can be on a left forearm, right?**

**Sorry for not updating! I promise I'll be more regular now. This was a slightly longer one to make up for it. Let me know what you guys thought! I tried to get a glimpse of what Sirius thinks a bit too, in this chapter. It's difficult for me to sneak in his feelings, but I've been trying. And I personally DO think that Andromeda is right about Sirius. He likes to think that he knows Rochelle, but he doesn't.**

**I'm not entirely sure if I WANT to develop a friendship between Remus and Rochelle. I'm sorry about that, but my story kind of depends on the fact that Rochelle isn't close to all the marauders- only Sirius. **

**Thanks for the ideas, CobaltAsh! Gosh, I think you'd do a better job of writing this story than me. Should I just hand it over, now? ;)**

**Review! Let me know what you think!**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N - This chapter involves the return of a certain perverted character that enjoys using bad language. Just a warning, in case you find it offensive. **

**Chapter 20 **

Rochelle stared at the image that was tattooed onto Lucius's forearm. The skull with a snake protruding from its mouth sent a chilling shiver down Rochelle's spine, and she found that she couldn't tear her eyes away from it. Her entire body felt frozen.

Lucius couldn't decipher the raging emotions in Rochelle's eyes when she looked up at him. There was pain, horror, and an underlying sense of pity and worry that made his skin crawl.

"Oh, Lucius. Lucius, you _didn't._"

He yanked his sleeve back down, too eager to hide the mark from sight once more. He shoved his arm under the sheets, and turned back to Rochelle's horrified face. Her expression of pity made him almost angry. He'd expected her to scream at him, or be scared. Not to feel _sorry _for him.

"Are you happy now?"

Rochelle shook her head. "Happy? How could I ever be _happy_ about this? Lucius, why?"

"You wouldn't understand."

Rochelle reached out, and softly put her hand over his. He flinched away, but then relaxed slightly. Lucius took a deep breath and looked down at his cousin.

"It's an honor."

Rochelle stared at him. She didn't believe it, and she knew that he didn't either. Lucius didn't sound honored. He sounded frightened and scared. "Is that what they told you?"

Lucius nodded. "It's an opportunity, Rochelle. An opportunity for me to bring up my family name. I'll make them proud. I know I will."

"There are other ways to make your family proud, Lucius."

"Don't try to talk me out of this. It's too late for that. I know what I'm doing, and nothing you say can change that. I can make my own decisions."

Rochelle looked at her cousin. She wanted to scream at him, to slap him for being so stupid. What sort of honor could he possibly hope to bring by killing innocent people? What would possess him to join such a dangerous man and put his _own _life in danger?

"Do you know what you're doing?"

Lucius sighed, looking up at Rochelle with his blue eyes. "There's a war out there, Rochelle. And I fully intend to be on the winning side."

And just like that, Rochelle knew. No words could change Lucius's mind. Like he'd said, it was too late. He'd made his decision, and now he had to stick with it.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle spent the next few days of school studying hard. She pushed the conversation with Lucius, everything that she'd seen, to the back of her mind. She supposed it was a gift, being able to forget what she didn't want to remember.

She'd been doing it since she was a child. Overheard conversations between her father and Uncle Abraxas, things her parents said when they thought she was asleep. She'd been tucking it all away in the back of her mind, refusing to think about it. They'd never happened. Just like the conversation with Lucius hadn't happened either. And even thought she often woke up in the middle of the night, having seen the image of the skull with the snake in her dreams, she forced herself to think of something else and went back to sleep. It was nothing. Everything was all right.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle sat alone in the common room, just as she did almost every evening. Her schoolwork had been getting more difficult and stressful, and she was _really_ starting to regret taking so many subjects for her NEWTS. She was trying to finish off a Transfiguration essay, but the group of boys sitting a few feet away insisted on laughing and talking loudly. She resisted the urge to tell them to shut up, focusing on her work instead.

A loud burst of laughter caused Rochelle to jump and her quill slipped, ink spilling all over the page. She felt a sudden surge of anger and dropped the quill, turning to face the boys.

"Would you lot just _shut up_?" she demanded, furiously. "I'm trying to study!"

As the boys turned to look at her, Rochelle realized that perhaps she'd yelled at the wrong group of people. Sitting there was Frederick Nott, along with Rookwood and a few other seventh-year Slytherins. There was a girl sitting between them; a small fifth-year that looked terrified.

"Are you, now?" Rookwood asked, coldly. "Well, perhaps you can find somewhere else to study, _Vittori_. In case you haven't noticed, we're dealing with some very important business here."

Rochelle stood up, glaring at them. "And what's that? Tormenting that poor girl? Can't even find someone of your own age that'll take you, Rookwood?"

Rookwood glared at her, while Rochelle turned to look at the fifth-year girl. She felt sorry for her; her face had gone white and she looked like she was going to puke. Rochelle gave her a reassuring smile. "Go back to your dorms. And if these boys ever trouble you again, go straight to Professor Dumbledore, you hear me?"

The girl nodded, seeming unable to speak. She stood up and fled, not even turning back to look at them. Rochelle faced the boys. "You're a bunch of sadistic pigs. And the next time I see you messing around with any of the younger girls, I'll take you to Dumbledore myself."

Frederick Nott laughed, standing up and taking a step closer to her. The sight of him made Rochelle want to puke. She took a step back quickly, but she hit the back of an armchair and was forced to stop. Rochelle decided that it he came too close, she could always spit in his face. She'd wanted to do that for a while.

"I wouldn't do that," Frederick said, with his awful smile. "You just sent away our fun. Perhaps you'd like to join us instead? Unless you're still fucking Black, of course. We don't take the seconds of blood traitors."

Rochelle felt helpless for a moment, trapped between Frederick Nott and the armchair. She forced herself to take a deep breath. She wasn't scared of him. There was no way that this vile human being would affect her. "Are you sure about that, Nott? I think you'd take anything that's even remotely feminine. Of course, it'll be difficult to find something female that would take _you_."

Nott's expression darkened. "I'd shut that pretty mouth of yours, Vittori. I don't give a shit about what _Dumbledore _might think. I'd have taken you that day in Hogsmeade, if you weren't such a prude. Perhaps you're feeling a little more willing, now?"

Nott lifted his hand to touch her face, but Rochelle slapped it away, hard. Anger flashed in his eyes and he grabbed hold of her wrist, crushing it with his fingers. They'd gathered quite a few onlookers now, half of the Slytherin common room was staring at them. Rochelle resisted the urge to scream out in pain.

"Let go of my hand, Nott."

"Only if you agree to spend the night in my dorm. I promise I'll be gentle, it won't hurt."

A few sniggers came from the group of boys behind him, and Rochelle could almost feel the tears stinging her eyes. Her wrist was starting to feel numb. Forcing herself to calm down, she lifted her wrist slowly, and sunk her teeth into his hand. Nott let go immediately, yelling out.

"You little bitch! She _bit _me!"

Rochelle stepped as far away from him as she could get, her eyes flaming with anger as she watched Frederick Nott cradle his hand. "I'd savor that moment, Nott. It's the closest you'll ever get to me."

And she turned around and ran out of the Slytherin common room, trying to control the tears that threatened to spill out of her eyes.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle spent the evening in the library with Lily, trying to get Nott out of her mind. She hated how his words made her skin crawl with fear. She had no doubt that he'd be furious, and she was scared, almost terrified at what he could possibly do to her. Lucius was still in the Hospital Wing. What if Nott decided to corner her one night, when nobody was around? The thought made her nauseous.

She thought about going to Professor Dumbledore, but she knew that might not help. Nott would deny the whole thing, and she had no way to prove what had happened. After Bellatrix had pretty much turned her house against her, Rochelle had no doubt that any witnesses would take Nott's side. Even if they didn't, it wouldn't matter. He'd get a detention or two, and he'd be even more angry. There was no chance of them taking any serious action against him; Nott's father was just as influential as hers, if not more.

"Do you want to meet up again to finish the Charms work?" Lily asked her, as the two girls left the library. "I know it's not due until next Monday, but I'd like to get it over with."

Rochelle nodded. "Erm, sure. I've got a free period after lunch tomorrow."

Lily nodded, as the two girls reached the end of the corridor. They were both supposed to turn different ways, but before they could say goodbye, they heard the sound of running footsteps. A fifth-year Ravenclaw prefect whom they both knew sprinted towards them, panting.

"Rochelle!" he called. "Professor Dumbledore wants you in his office!"

Rochelle raised an eyebrow. "Professor Dumbledore? What for?"

"They found Frederick Nott near the Quidditch pitch. He's been attacked."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

For the second time that month, Rochelle Vittori entered Professor Dumbledore's office and sat in the chair opposite his desk. Both Professor Slughorn and Professor McGonagall were there as well, and Rochelle instantly realized that this was more serious than she'd thought.

"Miss Vittori. Are you aware of what has taken place earlier tonight?"

Rochelle frowned. "I… I don't know. Gregory said something about Frederick Nott being attacked, but I don't know anything else."

Professor Dumbledore nodded. He was smiling at her comfortingly, but Rochelle didn't feel reassured. What was going on? Why had they called _her _of all people? "Mr. Nott was found near the Quidditch pitch in a rather bad condition. He'd been hexed multiple times, and was unconscious and bleeding when a second-year Hufflepuff came across him. He's been taken to the Hospital Wing."

Rochelle's eyes widened. She wasn't feeling particularly sorry for him, but she forced herself to put on a concerned expression. "Is.. is he all right?"

"He'll recover, but that's not the issue. Mr. Nott claims that it was a student who attacked him, and there is no doubt that this was done with malicious intent. However, he never saw the face of his attacker. He claims they came up on him from behind. We asked him if he had any idea who had done this to him."

Rochelle froze. Did they think that _she'd_ attacked him? That was insane, she hadn't even seen him since whatever had happened in the Slytherin common room! Dumbledore noticed the panic on her face, and softened his voice. "We're not accusing you of anything, Miss Vittori. However, Mr. Nott _did _express that the two of you had an argument earlier this afternoon. Quite a few students witnessed it."

Rochelle nodded. "We did argue, sir, but I had nothing to do with his attack. I've only just heard about it now. Did he mention my name?"

Professor Dumbledore did not respond. "May I inquire as to the nature of this argument that took place between Mr. Nott and yourself?"

"He and his friends were bothering a fifth-year girl. She seemed quite terrified, and I told them to leave her alone. Nott wasn't too happy, and, erm, it escalated from there. We were never on very good terms in the first place, sir."

"I see," Professor Dumbledore began, but he was interrupted by Lily Evans knocking on the door to the Headmaster's office. He asked her to come in, and she stood beside Rochelle's chair, smiling hesitantly. "May we help you, Miss Evans?"

"I'm so sorry for interrupting, Professor," Lily said, quickly. "But Rochelle didn't attack Frederick Nott. We've been sitting in the library since 4 o'clock, and we only just left a few minutes ago. I've been with her the entire time, and Madame Pince will tell you the same thing."

"I have no doubt!" Professor Slughorn boomed loudly. He'd been surprisingly quiet until then, and the sudden noise made almost everyone in the room jump. "Professor Dumbledore, these are my two best sixth year students! I can tell you with absolute certainty that neither of them had _anything_ to do with Mr. Nott's attack!"

Surprisingly, Professor McGonagall nodded. "I agree, Headmaster. I find it very difficult to believe that Miss Vittori would have done anything quite so foolish."

Professor Dumbledore nodded. "I never said that they did. But I must ask if either of them have any clue as to who _is _responsible for this unfortunate attack."

Rochelle shook her head. "I'm sorry, Professor. We have no idea."

"Thank you. You are both dismissed."

The two girls exited the Headmaster's office silently, and quickly slipped out into the corridor outside. They waited until they were completely out of earshot before speaking. Rochelle let out a breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"Oh thank _Merlin_ you came!" She cried, looking at Lily with relief. "I thought Professor Dumbledore might actually think I'd done it! What awful luck, to have somebody attack the little prick just after I argued with him!"

Lily frowned, giving Rochelle a doubtful look. "Elle… it wasn't luck."

Rochelle raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? Do you know who did it? Why didn't you just tell Professor Dumbledore, he would have believed you!"

"Because this person would have gotten into trouble."

"So? If they attacked Nott, then they deserve whatever-"

"Rochelle, it was Sirius Black."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Sirius Black was lounging in the Gryffindor common room, playing a game of Wizarding Chess with Peter. He always won, but for once, Peter seemed to be doing better than him. He winced slightly as his queen got smashed to pieces. He tore his gaze away from it when the portrait swung open and someone entered the common room.

Lily Evans approached them, her red hair flying behind her. She stopped right in front of the chess board, and looked down at Sirius sternly. "She's furious."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Pardon? Who's furious?"

"_Rochelle_," Lily hissed, angrily. Sirius almost jumped back in surprise. He hadn't seen that expression on Lily Evans's face since beforeshe started dating James. "Did you know that Dumbledore thought _she_ did it? Your stupidity could have gotten her punished!"

Sirius sat up. "What? Is she in trouble?"

"No, I provided her with an alibi."

Sirius stood up quickly, grabbing his wand and stuffing it into his pocket. He hadn't expected that his plan would backfire so simply. "Where is she? I'll go speak to her."

"I wouldn't suggest it."

"Fine, I'll find her myself," he snapped, before running up to his dormitory to get a hold of the Marauder's Map. He'd fix this soon enough, he was sure of it.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle Vittori was sitting alone by the lake when Sirius finally found her. She had her back against a tree, and her knees were pulled up to her chest. He approached her slowly, watching as she picked apart a twig. Her fingers moved forcefully, and the sharp movements were enough for him to tell just how angry she was. After a few moments, she dropped the twig and looked up at him.

"Just go away."

Sirius shook his head. He took a step closer, before sitting down slowly beside her. There were a lot of twigs that poked into his legs, but he knew better than to complain. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to get you into trouble."

Rochelle frowned at him. "Oh? What _did _you mean to do, then? Be a hero? Did you think that everyone would admire you if you attacked Nott?"

"He's a bloody git-"

"I _know _he's a bloody git! That doesn't mean that you stoop to his level, Black!"

Sirius was silent for a few moments. The only sound was of Rochelle tearing apart another twig furiously. She snapped it into tiny pieces before grabbing another one. Sirius smiled. "Haven't you tortured them enough?"

"Shut up. Don't talk to me."

Sirius stayed silent again, and leaned his head back against the tree beside her. Rochelle watched him out of the corner of her eyes, before picking up another twig. "Why did you do it anyway?"

"Hm?"

"Nott. Why did you attack him? Did he say something to you?"

Sirius sighed. "No. Andromeda told me what happened in the Slytherin common room… what he said to you. I can't believe the filthy bastard had the guts to lay a finger on your-"

"Get to the point."

"I was angry. And when I was coming back from Quidditch practice, he was sitting there with his friends and talking about you. You don't want to know what he said. They were making some plan to get back at you, something that involved cornering you at night while you were on prefect duty. So I waited until he was alone and I taught him a lesson. Believe me, Rochelle, what I did to him was _nothing_ compared to what he would have done to you."

Rochelle felt her heart drop into her stomach. She'd been right. Nott had wanted revenge, and he'd been prepared to do anything to get it. She shuddered slightly, but Sirius didn't notice. He was still speaking. "I don't regret it. It was either you or him, and I'd choose him any day. I couldn't just sit there and let you get hurt. He won't go anywhere near you again, I promise you that."

Rochelle stared at him in disbelief. "You're an idiot. What if you'd gotten caught?"

"Dumbledore's fair. I'd have told him the truth."

"The _truth_?" Rochelle hissed, turning to look at him. "The truth doesn't do shit in front of people like them, Black! I told my father the truth and it almost got me sent to another school! If Nott's father finds out that you're the one who did this, they'll expel you in an _instant_ and Dumbledore won't be able to do a thing! The school's board is full of people like my father and Uncle Abraxas who are just _looking _for an opportunity to make your life a living hell."

Sirius shrugged. "Let them try. You can't make me feel guilty, Rochelle."

"I don't want you to feel guilty, I want you to see sense! Your actions have consequences! If you walked up to Dumbledore and spat out some shit about _defending my honor_ then it would have gotten to my parents! Do you have any idea what they would do if they found out that I'd been speaking to you?"

Sirius nodded. "I know, send you to Beauxbatons."

"Forget me! They'd probably murder you! You're an idiot, but I'd rather not see you dead!"

"Because you fancy me, don't you?"

Rochelle gave him a dark look. "I'm not joking, Black. And we've had this conversation before, I _don't _fancy you. If you want to get expelled, go ahead. Merlin knows my life would be ten times easier without you around."

"Ten times more boring, you mean."

"No, I don't. You don't make things _interesting, _you make them _difficult_."

"How the bloody hell do I make things difficult?"

Rochelle rolled her eyes. "Right now, for example. I was ready to be all pissed off at you for what you did, but then you said all that crap about doing it for _me_. Why would you even do that?"

Sirius shrugged. "I'm not sure. It was an impulse."

"Everything's an impulse. Do you ever actually think about what you do?"

Sirius shrugged. "Not really. It's much easier doing things when you feel like doing them. Thinking wastes time. Look at it this way. I have an impulse to kiss you right now. If I thought about it, I'd probably talk myself out of it."

Rochelle gave him an odd look when she realized he was leaning closer to her. "Don't you dare. We talked about you invading my personal space."

Sirius grinned, titling her chin so that she was turning to face him. "No, _you _talked. I never agreed to it. Come on Vittori, let your instincts take over for once."

"My instincts are telling me to kick you in the genitals."

"Liar."

He leaned closer, and Rochelle realized that he was right. His grey eyes were watching her intently, and his palm slid up her cheek so that his fingers grazed her neck. She was screaming inside her head as her breath caught in her throat, but there was nothing she could do. She thought about pushing him away like she had the other night, but she didn't.

Rochelle let her instincts take over. Trembling, she lifted her hand so that it was on top of his, feeling his skin. Her mind went blissfully blank as Sirius slowly pulled her closer by the back of her neck, and breathed out. She felt his warm breath before his lips slowly brushed against hers. It was a soft touch and it disappeared almost instantly. Rochelle was almost disappointed. She was about to pull back when his lips landed on hers again, this time with more pressure. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she let her heart race as they kissed.

"Ow," Sirius muttered, pulling away from her slowly, and lifting his leg up to pull a stick out from under it. "Sorry, it was poking me. Couldn't you have found a better place to sit? There's an ant crawling up my leg..."

He turned back to look at her, only to realize that she wasn't smiling as he thought she would be. Rochelle's face was white, and she looked like she was going to puke. Sirius felt his heart sink. He looked into those stormy blue-grey eyes of hers, and he could read the emotion as clearly as if it was written in these words.

_What have I done? _

"Rochelle," he said softly, but she'd already scooted away from him. "Rochelle, don't-"

"No," Rochelle shook her head frantically, looking panicked. Her lower lip was trembling, and he watched as she scrambled to her feet, slipping a few times but finally getting a grip. "I can't. Black, I'm sorry, I can't-"

"Why not?"

"_It's wrong!" _

He felt a sudden surge of anger. He got up as well, grabbing her arm and forcing her to look at him. "I'm sorry, that felt _wrong _to you?"

"No!" Rochelle looked confused, but she pulled her arm out of his grip. "It felt right, but I can't…Black, they're my _family_! I can't do this to them, if they found out…"

"Are you scared of them? Are you afraid that they'll hurt us?"

"There _is no us_! There never can be, not unless I choose between you or them! You can't force me to make that choice, not now!" Rochelle insisted, her voice rising hysterically.

"I think you've already made it."

Rochelle stared at him, as he slowly reached into the pocket of his coat, and pulled out a familiar, small, rectangular box. She knew what was inside, he'd tried to give it to her before. She blinked in confusion as he held it out to her.

"What are you doing?"

Sirius looked straight at her. "When you gave this back to me, you told me to give it to someone I cared about. That's why I'm giving it to you. You can't refuse it this time."

Rochelle's hands trembled as she reached out and took the box from him slowly. She looked up, trying to see something in his eyes, but he'd already turned around and walked away.

_What have I done?_

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

**A/N – I did it! Chapter number 20! Phew, I never thought I'd get this far. Thank you so much to all my reviewers. And to lovinMaya, hell, yes I read all my reviews! As a matter of fact, I read them over and over again because they make me feel so good! Thank you so much for all of yours, I'm flattered that you took the time to review every chapter! **

**I was going to make this two chapters, but I decided against it. And I know that the thing with Lucius's Dark Mark seemed very abrupt, but it WILL come up again very soon. No worries. My next chapter may skip past a short period of time. I think it'll go till the end of sixth year. **

**Review! Let me know what you think, suggestions are welcome! **


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

**Four Months Later (Summer Holidays)**

Rochelle Vittori took a deep breath, as she set her owl, Amber, down on her desk. Her large, spacious room seemed like a luxury after spending so long sharing a dorm with four other girls. She smiled at the thought of her own bathroom, and being able to spread herself out on the feather-soft bed.

Dispy the house-elf entered the room a few moments later, carrying Rochelle's enormous school trunk. She set it down on the floor beside the bed, and looked up at her mistress, who was standing by the window. "Would miss like Dipsy to start unpacking her things?"

"Hm?" Rochelle turned around and looked at the house elf. "Oh, yes please. I'll come by and help you in a moment, I should greet my family first."

Dipsy nodded, and started to pull clothes and other belongings out of Rochelle's trunk. Rochelle let Dipsy continue, leaving her room and going downstairs. She'd missed the mansion; it was a beautiful place, calm and serene, just the way she liked it. After searching the sitting room and the parlor, she finally found her mother in the garden with an unfamiliar middle-aged woman.

"Mother!" Rochelle greeted, and Cassandra Vittori turned to smile at her daughter. She was sitting gracefully in one of the deck chairs; it was difficult to imagine the woman doing anything clumsily at all. Cassandra always maintained an air of regality about her.

"Darling, there you are!" Cassandra replied with a warm smile, gesturing for Rochelle to take the seat beside her. "I was beginning to wonder if Dispy had forgotten to pick you up from the station. No trouble, I hope?"

Rochelle shook her head. "None at all."

"Well, then. I'd like you to meet Mrs. Farrow, she's the one in charge of planning your brother's wedding. Mrs. Farrow, my daughter, Rochelle."

Mrs. Farrow was a plump woman, with eyebrows so thin they were almost invisible and a very large smile that was all gums. "It's wonderful to meet you, dear. You have a beautiful daughter, Mrs. Vittori. She looks very much like you. I have no doubt that suitors will be lining up for her in a few years."

Rochelle forced a smile back at the woman, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. She and her mother looked nothing alike. Most of Rochelle's features; her dark hair and fair skin; had come from her father's side. The only thing she shared with her mother were the blue Malfoy eyes. However, it seemed that Cassandra was very pleased with the compliment. "Thank you. If all goes well, you may be organizing _her _wedding very soon."

Mrs. Farrow smiled again. "That would be an honor."

Cassandra turned and looked at Rochelle. "Mrs. Farrow and I were just discussing the dresses. There's to be a fitting tomorrow, at ten o'clock. Carmella and her sisters will be coming, and you'll try on the dresses together. They're _quite_ lovely, I think you'll be pleased."

Rochelle nodded. "I'm sure I will. Where are Father and Royce?"

"Your father left for Greece this morning, but he should be back tonight. Your brother has gone to receive the Rosetti's. Carmella's mother is eager to participate in the preparations, so she and her daughters will be here tomorrow. I hope you'll make them feel welcome."

"Of course. May I be excused? I'd like to help Dipsy unpack."

Cassandra nodded, smiling. "Of course, dear. Go upstairs and rest, dinner won't be until your father gets home."

Rochelle quickly left the gardens and went back up to her room, sighing to herself. It was clear that she wasn't going to get much free time this summer. Carmella had three sisters, all of whom were around Rochelle's age and spoke very little English. She'd be expected to be a good hostess, make sure they were entertained and occupied. The idea didn't appeal to her much.

"All right, there, Dipsy?" Rochelle asked, entering her own room. She noticed that the house elf had put away almost all her clothes and set her school books neatly on her desk. She sat down on the bed, and peeked into the almost empty trunk.

"Yes, miss" Dipsy replied. She held up a small object and frowned at it. "Dipsy has never seen this before. Would miss like Dipsy to put it with the rest of her jewellery?"

Rochelle looked up at the small, rectangular box that the house elf was holding, and her heart dropped into her stomach. A mix of emotions hit her, primarily guilt and regret. She didn't remember packing that with her things. She tore her gaze away from it. "No. Put it somewhere I won't see it."

Dipsy looked confused, but nodded. "Yes, miss."

Rochelle lay back on her bed, trying to suppress the emotions that the sight of the hairclip had stirred up. She hadn't spoken to Sirius Black in months, not alone. The night after he'd kissed her, she hadn't been able to sleep.

She'd thought about it, for what felt like forever. At that moment, when he'd been leaning in, it had seemed like the right thing to do. She hadn't been able to resist his mysterious grey eyes or that mischievous grin. But the moment he'd pulled away, Rochelle felt a sudden rush of emptiness, of guilt, of _shame_.

Did she have so little self-control? The creeping disgust she felt wasn't for Sirius Black, but rather for herself. How was it that one handsome boy and a few flirtatious words had made her do something so dangerous? She felt ashamed for betraying her family because she couldn't control herself around someone she barely knew. _I am no weak little girl_, she'd told herself, that night. _I am not like Gemma or those other girls, who would stoop to any level for a boy's attention. I am a Vittori. _

Andromeda Black had approached Rochelle a few days later, asking her what had happened. Rochelle felt hesitant at first, unsure how to respond to the girl. But soon, she knew the reasons for her choice. Andromeda and Ted Tonks were in love. They had plans; to get married after Hogwarts, to have a family. Could she imagine that with Sirius Black? Could she imagine herself in love?

_No. _the answer was clear, staring her in the face. Rochelle didn't love Sirius Black, nor did she have any idea how he felt about her. She barely knew him. He'd probably enjoyed the chase, the thrill of doing something that they both knew was forbidden. Rochelle had to admit that she'd felt the rush too, when they'd sat there that night, after school hours, all alone. But that was it. There was nothing there, nothing that could last. And that was why Rochelle made her decision.

Rochelle pushed Sirius Black out of her mind.

He hadn't made it very difficult. Their paths rarely crossed, except for during class. She managed to avoid him, went out of her way to ensure that Slughorn never partnered them up together again. Then exams had come, and life became unexpectedly busy. She travelled from class, to her dorm, to the library. There was little time for anything else.

And here she was, four months later, lying on her bed at home and thinking about him.

"Miss? Your father has arrived, he wishes to see you," Dipsy chirped, opening the door and peeking at Rochelle. The girl sat up quickly.

"Of course, Dipsy. Please let him know I'm coming."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

**A/N – Oh my God. Don't kill me, please. **

**I tried to explain my reasons for Rochelle doing what she did. As romantic as it sounds, a kiss does NOT change everything. I'm trying to keep this realistic (Well, as realistic as you can get in the HP universe). She's only ACTUALLY talked to Sirius and known him for a month. Yes, there are other factors involved. But would I ditch my family for a guy that I've known for about a month? No way. And keep in mind that Sirius isn't in love with her or anything. Part of the reason he likes her IS because it's forbidden, and he enjoys doing things that are against the rules. I like to think Rochelle is not the type of character to make reckless decisions. Yes, she will make the right choice, but it's not yet. I think she still needs more reason. **

**Sorry this was short. There WILL be more drama, and Sirius as well. **

**Review! I'd like to be reassured that I haven't scared all my readers off. **


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

When Rochelle finally made her way downstairs, she saw that her father, mother and brother were already seated at the dining table, ready to eat. Alfred Vittori was at the head of the table, a sheet of paper in his hand. He looked up when Rochelle entered and smiled.

"There you are, what took you so long?" He asked, not unkindly. He gestured for Rochelle to sit beside him. "Your mother was just showing me your examination results for this year. _Only _an E in Charms?"

Rochelle bristled slightly, until she realized that the corners of his mouth were turned up. He was joking with her. Relieved, she smiled back. "It's better than anything Royce has ever gotten in the subject. If I'm not wrong, he got _failed_ Charms in his sixth year."

Alfred Vittori laughed. "I do think he did. Well, Royce? What have you to say for yourself? Your sister makes a very valid point."

Royce rolled his eyes playfully. "My sister should perhaps stop remembering all my marks and using them against me. I had other distractions in my sixth year; I was captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team. Rochelle can't even ride a broom."

"You were captain because your only competition was Darrel Hopkins. That boy was so fat that his father had to get him a special broom because the regular one wouldn't take his weight."

"She's right again," Alfred put in, but Rochelle's mother interrupted him with a smile.

"Don't encourage them, Alfred. _You _ certainly never got grades like Rochelle's when we were in school. As a matter of fact, if it weren't for me, you would have failed Transfiguration," Cassandra teased.

Alfred smiled lovingly at his wife. "Yes, I would have. I'm afraid that your brains are entirely from your mother's side of the family, Rochelle."

Rochelle couldn't resist a giggle. "Well then, I suppose I'd better leave Royce alone. It's not _his _fault he inherited all the wrong genes, is it?"

Royce threw his napkin at Rochelle.

Dinner was a rather pleasant affair. Alfred talked about his day in Greece negotiating with their Minister for Magic. Royce managed to make them all laugh by retelling the various situations he'd gotten into with his bride's family, because he couldn't understand Italian. His future mother-in-law was the worst. Her English was atrocious, and she often ended up saying something very contrary to what she meant. By the time dessert was cleared away, Rochelle's side hurt from laughing so much.

"Well, I think it's best we all turn in early, tonight," Cassandra declared. "The Rosettis should be here by nine o' clock, and we'll need our energy."

"I agree," Royce said. "I'm exhausted. Good night."

Royce left the table, as did Cassandra. Rochelle got up to leave as well, but her father stopped her. "Rochelle. May I have a word?"

Rochelle sat back down. "Of course, Father."

Alfred Vittori's smile had disappeared, and Rochelle found herself feeling apprehensive. What was he going to say? "I think it's time we talked about what happened in January. Perhaps, when I received that letter from Lucius, I should have chosen to handle things differently."

Rochelle shifted slightly. "Oh."

"You must understand that I was worried about you. I couldn't stand that thought of anything happening to you because of that Black boy. What was his name? The blood traitor?"

"Sirius," Rochelle muttered quietly.

"Yes. He's dangerous, we all know that. I was worried, and I didn't think that I might hurt your emotions in the process. I don't doubt that you had nothing to do with the boy; you're a very clever girl. I should have had more faith in you."

Rochelle felt her throat close up. Was her father _apologizing_? Her stomach felt heavy with guilt as it sunk in that her father _did _trust her. But what had she done to deserve that trust? Nothing. Nothing but betray him, by doing exactly what he'd forbidden her to do.

She didn't deserve his trust.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, trying to hide the tears that threatened to spill out onto her cheeks. Alfred smiled down at his daughter.

"What are you apologizing for, dear? You've done nothing wrong. Now go upstairs, and get some rest. You'll have a long day tomorrow; I don't doubt that Carmella and her sisters will drive you crazy with their broken English and Italian."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

"_Ah! Non mi colpire!" _One of the girls hissed, as Mrs. Farrow stuck a pin into the bottom of her dress. It had proven to be too long; Adriana was the smallest of her sisters. Although she was fifteen years old, she barely looked twelve. "Rochelle! Tell her it hurt!"

Rochelle sighed. Despite being tiny, Adriana knew how to get what she wanted. Resisting the urge to slap the bratty girl, Rochelle turned to Mrs. Farrow. "I think the pins are hurting her, Mrs. Farrow. Could you perhaps be more gentle?"

Mrs. Farrow forced a smile. It was clear that the girls were getting on her nerves as well. "Of course, Rochelle. Adriana, would you turn this way?"

Rochelle looked away from them, trying not to crumple the dress she was wearing. She'd tried on many since morning, but Carmella's sisters had shot down every single one. The first had clashed with Georgiana's hair, the second didn't have enough lace, the third reminded Adriana of an easter egg. Rochelle tried to close her eyes and calm down. It wasn't easy. The two remaining sisters were sitting only a few feet away and chattering in rapid Italian. It was starting to get on her nerves.

There was a tapping noise and Mrs. Farrow looked up at the window, where a small owl was pecking on the glass. "Rochelle, I think there's a letter for you."

Rochelle nodded, carefully walking over the window without stepping on her skirt. She opened it and untied the letter from the owl's leg, smiling as she recognized Lily's handwriting on the envelope.

_Rochelle,_

_How have your holidays started off? It's so good to be back home. Mum and Dad were pleased with my examination results, how about yours? I'm sure they thought you did well. _

_Mum's been bugging me about inviting you over for the holidays. I can't wait either, we'll have so much fun! Have you asked your parents, yet? Let me know once you do, and we can set a date. I remember you saying that your brother's wedding is on the 20__th__ of July. Perhaps you can come over a few days after that, around the 25__th__? Anything's fine, let me know your convenience. _

_Write back soon!_

_Love,_

_Lily _

Rochelle smiled. She'd almost forgotten that Lily had invited her to stay over for a few days. Clutching the letter, she decided to ask her mother immediately and write Lily back. Almost forgetting about the fact that she was wearing a dress, she skipped up the stairs to find her mother.

Rochelle had just reached the landing when she heard an odd sound. It was short and harsh, and she didn't recognize it until she heard it again. Was that a _bark_? Was there a dog in the house? She turned the corner and realized, to her horror, that she'd been absolutely right.

Standing in front of her was an _enormous _German Shepherd, smiling at her with big wide teeth and wagging his tail.

Rochelle screamed.

"For Merlin's sake, what's going on?" Cassandra Vittori demanded, bursting out of her room. She stopped when she saw her daughter, staring wide-eyed at the dog in the hallway. She sighed. "I see you've met Fairy."

Rochelle couldn't take her eyes off the dog. "_Fairy_? That monstrosity is called _Fairy_? Mother it's humungous, and it's- _no! _Get it away from me!"

The German Shepherd had started to step closer to Rochelle, and Cassandra resisted a groan. "Oh shoo. Go away," she hissed at the dog, kicking a foot out in its direction. The dog whimpered slightly, before running off downstairs. Rochelle let out a sigh of relief.

"What is it doing here?"

"I'm afraid Fairy belongs to Adriana. She wouldn't come without it. I told her very clearly that the dog was meant to stay in the garden, but I don't think she understood me," Cassandra sighed, noticing Rochelle's horrified expression. "It's only for a week, dear. Can't you adjust?"

Rochelle felt her temper rising, but she controlled herself. She refused to stoop to the level of Carmella's sisters by throwing a temper tantrum, no matter how much she wanted to. "I'll be fine as long as it stays out of my room," Rochelle muttered, irritably. "Anyway, I wanted to talk to you, Mother. A friend invited me to stay over at hers for a few days, after the wedding."

Cassandra raised an eyebrow. "A friend? Who is this girl?"

"Her name is Lily Evans."

"Evans? I've never heard the name."

Rochelle took a deep breath. "You wouldn't have. Erm, her father is a Muggle."

Cassandra Vittori made a face. "A_ Half-blood_? I don't think that's a very good idea. Your father wouldn't be very pleased if I told him about this."

Rochelle bit her lip. She hated lying to her mother, but she wanted to go to Lily's place so badly. At least it wasn't an _outright _lie… "Mother, please! Lily's really nice, and she's one of the only people in my year who gets better grades than me. You'd really like her."

Cassandra continued frowning. "When would you plan to go?"

"Around the 25th? A few days after the wedding."

"Your father will be going to Romania for a week on the 24th," Cassandra said thoughtfully. "It might be better if you go then. I'll tell your father, but I see no reason to mention that the girl is a half-blood. He would almost certainly disapprove of you staying in the same house as a Muggle."

Rochelle grinned. "Really?"

Cassandra smiled at her daughter's happiness. "Yes. Just this once. And only because I'm glad that you've made friends. You never _did _seem to get along very well with the other girls your age."

"Thank you, mother!"

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

The days up until Royce's wedding were a nightmare for Rochelle. Her mother was almost constantly busy with wedding preparations, and as expected, Rochelle had been forced to entertain Carmella's sisters. Her brother Royce was of no help whatsoever; he seemed to think that because he was the groom, he could do whatever he pleased and had no responsibility at all.

"I need a _scialle_," Georgiana announced one morning, entering Rochelle's room with her sisters. "My blue dress no have one of same color."

Rochelle stared at Georgiana. "A _what_?"

"A _scialle_," Adriana repeated, unhelpfully. "In English, erm… a scraf."

" A scarf. You mean like a shawl, or…?"

"_Si." _

Rochelle frowned at them. "Well, I'm sorry, but I don't have anything that I can lend you. Is it very important? Mother might have one…"

"Carmella say that you take us to buy. In… _la città." _

It took Rochelle a few moments to understand exactly what it was that Georgiana wanted. "You want me to take you shopping in Diagon Alley? To buy a scarf?"

"_Si."_

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

That was how, a few hours later, Rochelle found herself wandering around Diagon Alley with all three of Carmella's sisters behind her. It seemed that a scarf wasn't enough for them; they insisted on stopping at every shop window, admiring whatever they saw. Rochelle was tired, and her legs hurt, but they showed no signs of wanting to leave.

"_Questo è bella!" _Adriana gushed, holding a long beige dress up in front of her. Rochelle had no idea what the phrase meant, but they used it whenever they saw something pretty. She resisted the urge to groan as Adriana skipped further into the shop to go try it on. Her legs were aching, and she'd started to lose her patience.

"_Come funziona questo aspetto?" _Fiona asked Georgiana, gesturing towards the pink ballet flats that she'd just slipped onto her feet. Her sister gave a noise of appreciation. Neither of them even turned to look at Rochelle. She felt suffocated.

"I need some air," she announced, and the two sisters looked at her blankly. " I'm going outside. Come when you're finished," Rochelle repeated, more slowly. The sisters nodded, and Rochelle almost ran out of the stuffy shop in her eagerness.

There was a small wooden bench a few feet away from the store, and Rochelle sat down in relief, nursing her sore feet. Either she was out of shape, or the Rosetti sisters had more stamina than an average human being. She knew the perfect spell to soothe her feet, if only she could use her wand.

"Hello. I didn't expect to see you here." Rochelle glanced up at the familiar voice, and saw that Remus Lupin was standing in front of her, smiling politely. He had a bunch of books in his arms, and had clearly just come out of the bookstore.

Rochelle smiled at him. "Buying books already? We haven't gotten our lists for next year quite yet."

Remus shrugged. "Oh, this is just for my own reading. James, Sirius and Peter slipped into the Quidditch store across the street, and I was bored, so…" he trailed off, awkwardly. "I hear your brother's getting married."

Rochelle raised an eyebrow. "Yes, he is. How did you know?"

"Oh, it's all the two ladies behind me in the bookstore could talk about," he put in, with a smile. "Did you come here alone?"

Rochelle rolled her eyes, scooting over slightly on the bench so that he could sit beside her. Remus recognized the gesture, and took a seat. "I _ wish _I was here alone. I'm chaperoning the bride's bratty sisters around Diagon Alley. They're in the boutique there, it's been almost two hours. I just needed some air."

Remus nodded in understanding. "Well, if they exasperate you so much now, I hate to remind you that they'll be a part of your family soon."

Rochelle shuddered. "I know. It gives me nightmares." She glanced at the books he was carrying. "Oh, _The Unspeakables_! I've read that one, isn't it about a man who gets caught up in some huge conspiracy in the Ministry and gets blackmailed into co-operating?"

Remus shrugged. "I suppose so, I haven't read it yet. It's one of the few Wizarding novels I could find. There aren't very many."

"I agree!" Rochelle was just about to get started on the horrendous lack of Wizarding novels on bookshelves, when she spotted three familiar figures exit a shop on the other side of the street. Her voice died away, and Remus turned to see his friends walking towards him.

"Oi, Moony!" James called, approaching. "Are you ready to go?"

Remus nodded, standing up quickly. The three boys approached. Peter was the first to notice her, followed by Sirius and James. All three of them looked somewhat taken aback. James was the first to recollect himself, and he smiled.

"Sorry Vittori, didn't notice you. Holidays going all right?"

Rochelle nodded, smiling back at him. Despite the fact that she knew very little about James Potter, he'd been making an effort to be nicer to her ever since he'd started dating Lily. Perhaps he thought it would keep his girlfriend happy. Either way, neither he nor Peter gave her the dark looks that Gryffindors usually reserved for Slytherins.

"They're going fine," Rochelle replied politely. She risked a glance at Sirius, and saw that he was staring very intently at a pebble on the floor. She turned away from him. "How are yours?"

James opened his mouth to respond, but he was interrupted by Adriana, who'd just come out of the store that she was in. "Rochelle! Come! _Siamo in partenza!" _she yelled.

Rochelle gave the boys an apologetic look. "Sorry, I have to go. The she-devil awaits."

James and Peter looked amused, while Sirius narrowed her eyes at the girl. Something seemed to be bothering him. He glanced up at her, his grey eyes clouded.

"Why do you let her order you around like that?" he asked. His voice was quiet, almost inaudible. Rochelle was shocked that he was even speaking to her. She took a second to regain her voice.

"Erm, she's the bride's sister. I can't exactly be _rude._" Rochelle bit her lip, standing up quickly. "Well, um, I'll see you all in school, then."

"Bye," Remus called, and Rochelle quickly went to Adriana, trying to get those grey eyes out of her mind. They were going to haunt her all night now, she was sure of it.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

**A/N – I know, another slightly boring chapter. But believe me; the next few will be PACKED with drama. I've been waiting to write those ever since I started the story, and a lot is going to unravel. Chapter 23 is going to consist of mainly the wedding. **

**I apologize for any mistakes in Italian; I don't speak it at all, so I used Google Translate. None of the meanings really matter, but here they are just in case you were wondering. **

**Non mi colpire – Don't poke me**

**Questo è bella! – This is beautiful**

**Come funziona questo aspetto – How does this look?**

**Siamo in partenza – We are leaving**

**I'd be grateful if you'd let me know if any of those are wrong. **

**I swear, I have the sweetest reviewers ever! Thank you so much, guys! **


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Rochelle winced as Mrs. Farrow tugged on her hair hard, trying to pull it into some sort of intricate updo. Rochelle had protested at first, insisting that she wanted to keep her usual plait. The expression of horror she received from Mrs. Farrow was almost hurtful. Her hair didn't usually look _that _bad, did it?

Adriana was sitting in the corner of the room, playing with Fairy. The dog was practically trampling all over her dress, and Mrs. Farrow had screamed at her a few times before giving up. There was no separating the girl from her monstrous pet. Rochelle found herself wondering why the tiny girl couldn't have gotten herself a small lapdog instead of the huge German Shepherd.

"_Amo questo!" _Georgiana gushed, as she rifled through Rochelle's jewellery box. Although there were many things about the three sisters that infuriated Rochelle, the biggest one had to be their complete lack of respect for privacy. They seemed to think that they could borrow her things as they did each other's. Georgiana had pulled out a pretty purple bracelet that Royce had once gifted Rochelle. She started to clasp it onto her own hand, and Rochelle resisted the urge to scream.

"_Oh! _ _Guardate questo!_ _E 'magnifico!" _Fiona gushed immediately. Rochelle tried to turn her head to see what they had found so interesting, but Mrs. Farrow refused to let her move it. Sighing, she listened silently to the girls' excited whispers until the woman was done with her hair.

_Oh, no they didn't. _

Fiona had found the silver and green hairclip at the bottom of the jewellery box. She and Georgiana were staring at it, mesmerized, until Fiona started to slide it into her hair.

A rush of anger went through Rochelle. She didn't know why, but she simply couldn't _stand_ the thought of seeing that beautiful hairclip in Fiona's hair. She tried to calm herself down but it didn't work. "Stop it!"

Fiona almost dropped the clip in surprise, and they all turned to see Rochelle's furious expression. Although she'd been getting irritated with the girls, they'd never seen her quite _angry _before. Fiona stared at Rochelle. "_Cosa è successo?_"

"Put it down, right now. Stop touching my things," Rochelle hissed. The girls didn't seem to understand what she'd said, but the expression was clear. She was angry. Looking somewhat offended, they replaced the jewellery and closed the box. Rochelle took a deep breath. "Thank you."

Just as she turned around to look at herself in the mirror, the door to the room opened, and Dipsy poked her head in nervously. "Miss? You're all wanted downstairs, miss. It's time."

Rochelle nodded. "Thank you Dipsy. We're coming in a moment."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle had to admit, the ceremony itself didn't go so badly. There were a few moments of confusion in the beginning, mainly because Adriana had been under the mistaken impression that Fairy would be allowed to walk down the aisle beside her. Cassandra Vittori had almost had a fit, and it wasn't until Carmella herself arrived that Adriana could be shut up. Rochelle was starting to have a lot of respect for her future sister-in-law.

Luckily enough, the actual ceremony went just as planned. Rochelle did the best she could not to stare at her feet as she walked down the aisle, and it was almost amusing to watch Mrs. Rosetti bawl her eyes out at the end of the ceremony. Her husband didn't have an easy time trying to calm her down. Cassandra Vittori, on the other hand, managed to retain her dignity by shedding only a few silent and unnoticed tears.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

"You look wonderful," Narcissa complimented Rochelle. The Black girl was wearing a flattering lavender gown, and held Lucius's arm lightly. Rochelle had to admit that they made quite the picture together. She smiled.

"Thank you. You look great as well, Narcissa, as does Lucius," Rochelle replied. To be honest, there didn't seem to be anyone at the wedding who _didn't _look good. Royce Vittori's wedding was the event of the year, and everybody looked their best.

Lucius smiled at his cousin. "I'm proud of you. I was almost certain that you'd trip down the aisle earlier. But you managed to look almost graceful, as impossible as it sounds."

Rochelle rolled her eyes. "Thank you very much. I almost _wanted_ to trip on purpose, just so I could knock Adriana over. Then she'd know what I've been facing with that _awful _dog of hers for the past few days."

"I suppose you're happy. The Rosettis will be returning to Italy, I presume?" Lucius asked.

Rochelle laughed. "As if Mother was going to invite them to stay any longer! Good riddance, I say. I'll need Dipsy to fumigate my room once they're gone; I can still smell Fairy wherever I go."

Lucius looked amused. "Well, we'll leave you to your plans. I was hoping to dance, Narcissa, if you're willing?"

"Of course," Narcissa replied, and the two of them walked to the middle of the garden, where all the couples were dancing. Rochelle spotted her brother and Carmella among them. They were wrapped in each other's arms, smiling. _Well, as long as they're happy, it was worth it_, Rochelle decided. She turned to grab a drink from one of the floating trays, and noticed that Mrs. Lestrange was making her way towards her, her younger son right behind her.

"Rochelle! Dear, you looked so wonderful today," Mrs. Lestrange cooed, approaching the girl. "You were the most beautiful person to walk down the aisle, other than the bride of course. Wasn't she, Rabastan?"

Rabastan, who was standing behind his mother in stiff formal dress robes, nodded politely. "Of course."

Rochelle smiled. "Thank you, Mrs. Lestrange. That's very kind of you, but I think Carmella's sisters looked quite beautiful too. They seem to have no lack of dance partners tonight."

Mrs. Lestrange frowned, as she realized that all three of Carmella's sisters, were, in fact, dancing with young men. She brushed it off. "Oh, nonsense! Everyone was saying how radiant you looked. And as for dance partners, I'm sure Rabastan would love to dance with you. Wouldn't you, Rabastan?"

Rabastan nodded, smiling at Rochelle as he held his hand out to her. "I was just about to ask Rochelle the same thing. May I?"

Rochelle could see no way to refuse without offending Mrs. Lestrange. Feeling almost trapped, she nodded politely and took Rabastan's arm. He led her out among the dancing couples, and placed his hands on her waist. He was barely touching her and they were placed at an appropriate height. Rochelle was relieved that he was at least gentlemanly enough not to grope her. She'd gone through that once, with the older Mulciber brother.

"My mother was right, you do look lovely," Rabastan complimented her, politely. "Your dress matches your eyes perfectly."

Rochelle couldn't help but blush slightly at the compliment. She'd intended for the floaty, light bluish-grey dress to go with her eyes, but Rabastan was the first person to notice that. She composed herself quickly. "Um, thank you. You look very handsome as well, though you seem a little uncomfortable in those robes."

Rabastan smiled. "Is it that obvious? My mother forced me into them. She doesn't think comfort has anything to do with clothing. You seem to have achieved both, however."

"I'm glad it seems that way, but it's not true. This material is so scratchy, I'm almost certain to have rashes on my skin tomorrow morning."

Rabastan laughed. "I'm sorry to hear that."

There was a short silence, as Rochelle searched for a safe topic to converse about. "Is your older brother here? I haven't seen him yet."

"He's somewhere, with Bellatrix Black."

"I see."

"You don't like her very much, do you?"

Rochelle raised an eyebrow. "Bellatrix? No. She gets on my nerves, but don't tell her I said that."

Rabastan smiled, spinning her around. "Your secret's safe with me. And I'm sorry if you felt that my mother forced you into dancing with me. I'm sure you would have said no if you weren't afraid of offending her."

Rochelle felt a little embarrassed. Was she so obvious? She tried to distract him. "Isn't your girlfriend here, tonight? Um, Freya, wasn't it?"

Rabastan's expression darkened slightly. "I'm afraid not. Freya and I are no longer together."

"Oh. I'm sorry. May I ask what happened? You don't have to tell me, I just-"

"It's all right. It wouldn't have worked. I never told my parents about her, and I'm not sure I could have. Her blood isn't quite pure enough for them."

Rochelle was a little surprised. "But she's still a pureblood. I'm sure that if you explained things to your family, they would understand. You don't know what they might say."

Rabastan shook his head, just as the song ended. "No, it's not just that. She wasn't right for me anyway."

"Oh." Rochelle slowly stepped away from him. "Well, it was a pleasure dancing with you, Rabastan. I hope you'll excuse me, I need to find my mother."

Rabastan nodded. "Of course. The pleasure was mine."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle was forced to make polite conversation with numerous people. One of Carmella's relatives asked her to dance, but after dancing an entire song with a boy who didn't know a single word of English, she decided it was better to refuse the Italian boys. Not many approached her after that, anyway.

Once Rochelle got a few moments to herself, she finally stood alone and grabbed a drink. Her legs ached from all the dancing, and she was tired of middle-aged women commenting about how _her_ wedding was going to be next. She was only sixteen for goodness sake, there was a good four or five years before that would happen!

"Mind if I join you?" a voice asked politely, and Rochelle turned to see Regulus Black standing near her. She was struck once again by how similar he looked to Sirius. Turning her gaze away from those grey eyes, she smiled and handed him a glass.

"Of course not, as long as we don't have to dance. My feet are going to fall off if I do."

Regulus accepted the glass gratefully. "That's all right, I'm not much of a dancer. I've barely seen you all afternoon; you must be very busy."

Rochelle laughed. "Busy? I think avoiding your mother would be a better way to put it. I ruined my brother's engagement party, I don't think I'd be forgiven if I caused a scene at his wedding as well."

"It's all right. My mother's in a slightly mellower mood this evening. I don't think she'll cause any trouble," Regulus assured her. "The wedding seems to be quite a success. Everyone's enjoying themselves."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"You don't seem particularly pleased, though. I suppose you might have had a better time if my brother was here?"

Rochelle almost spit out her drink. Her cheeks turned pink, and she shook her head quickly. "What? No! Regulus, believe me, there is _nothing _going in between… I mean to say…"

Regulus raised an eyebrow. "Your embarrassment makes your meaning perfectly clear. But don't worry; I'm not like Sirius, I don't take pleasure in other people's embarrassment. I won't mention it if it makes you uncomfortable."

Rochelle turned her head away from him, still flushed. She turned away from Regulus when she saw her mother approach her.

"Oh, Rochelle, there you are!" Cassandra Vittori cried. She spotted Regulus, however, and smiled at him politely. "Regulus. It's nice to see you, is your family well?"

Regulus smiled politely. "Very well, thank you, Mrs. Vittori."

"That's good to hear."

"Well, I was just leaving. Congratulations on your son's wedding, Mrs. Vittori," Regulus said, politely. Cassandra thanked him, and then he left. She turned to face her daughter.

"Well then, is this where you have been hiding?" Cassandra Vittori asked Rochelle, once Regulus was gone. The sky was growing dark, and many of the guests were beginning to leave. In about an hour, most of them would be gone. "Everyone was complimenting you tonight. I saw you dance with Rabastan Lestrange."

"His mother forced me into it," Rochelle mumbled, but she tried not to sound ungrateful. "He's very nice."

"He seems like a wonderful boy. Now come along, you can't sit here alone! We have to be there to say goodbye to all the guests!"

Rochelle was once again dragged away for the formalities; seeing the guests off and asking them if they'd had a nice time. It wasn't very difficult. The wedding had been a huge success, and everyone was pleased. Once the last guest had left the house, Rochelle shut the door, and looked at her mother with relief.

"I'm _exhausted_!"

Cassandra Vittori laughed. "You must be, you've done so much today. I want you to go straight to bed. I'll get Dipsy to bring you something to eat, and then you'll get a long night's rest, do you hear me?"

Rochelle could only nod sleepily.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Something woke Rochelle from her deep sleep that night. She groaned slightly, turning in her bed as her legs ached from exhaustion. She sat up in the dark, the moonlight streaming into her room and onto the bed. The night was calm, serene. It seemed like such a relief to have the Rosettis gone from the house. The girls' contestant chattering was gone, and Rochelle felt like her home was home once again.

Rochelle slid out of bed slowly, pulling on her slippers. Her feet were unbelievably sore. She could feel her heels throb as she set them on the floor. Stumbling to her feet, she tied her messy hair out of her face and grabbed a robe to put on over her nightgown. She needed a drink of water; her throat felt dry. Rochelle considered calling for Dipsy, but decided against it. The poor elf was probably asleep. She'd certainly worked harder than any of them had for the wedding. She deserved rest.

Rochelle exited the room, and started climbing down the stairs slowly. It was dark, but she could see a faint light coming from downstairs. Was her father still awake? He often sat up late into the night, working in his study.

"Ow," Rochelle muttered, as she almost tripped on the stairs. She grabbed the railing in time and steadied herself, just as she came to the ground floor. The light wasn't coming from her father's study at all, but the dining room. Rochelle frowned. Was it Dipsy who was up at this hour, then? She slowly walked towards the large dining room, as faint voices drifted out from the crack in the door.

"… Wednesday night, my lord. We're sure to have him under our control by then," a voice said. Rochelle was silent, as she wondered where she'd heard it before. She was certain that it belonged to one of Father's friends.

"Can I trust you this time, Henderson? You have made such promises before, and failed me as well," another voice hissed. It was snake-like, almost inhuman. There was something dark about the voice, so evil that it sent shivers down Rochelle's spine. This was no normal conversation. Something was going on, here. "Either way, I will not take any risks. If he refuses to co-operate, kill his family. Perhaps it will send a lesson to the others."

Rochelle froze, sliding behind the door so that she could peek through the crack without being seen. A group of at least ten to fifteen men were seated all along the Vittori's long dining table. Rochelle recognized faces. Uncle Abraxas, Mr. Lestrange, Mr. Henderson from the Ministry…. Her father was seated there as well, Lucius Malfoy right beside him. There was one other man sitting at the head of the table. His chair had his back to her, and she could not see him. But she knew that the cold, snake-like voice was his.

"My lord," Uncle Abraxas spoke up. He straightened himself as he addressed the chair at the head of the table. "The task you set Lucius…"

There was a pause. "Yes. Lucius, tell me. Have you managed to find more men willing to fight for our cause? What do your classmates think?"

Lucius sat up, fear evident in his eyes. He almost looked like he was going to collapse. "My lord, there are two boys who have promised to pledge themselves to you. I assure you they are very talented, I see much-"

"Their _namess, _Lucius."

"Severus Snape and Regulus Black."

"And are they worthy? Lord Voldemort does not wish to waste his time with incompetent fools."

Rochelle froze at the door, her throat closing up and finding herself unable to breathe. Her hands went up to grasp her throat, trying to stop her body from reacting to the horror that her mind felt.

_Lord Voldemort is in my dining room. _

She slid down the wall, almost collapsing in both fear and horror. She gasped for breath silently, as she allowed the reality of it to sink in. _Everyone_. Her father, Uncle Abraxas, Lucius… they were all death eaters. They were the loyal servants of the most dangerous man alive.

Terror shot through Rochelle, numbing her entire body. Her hands started shaking of her own accord and she found that she could do nothing but watch as they trembled in front of her eyes. The voices in the dining room continued, unaware of her presence.

"And you, Alfred? How are things at the Ministry?" Lord Voldemort asked.

Rochelle's father spoke up. "Longueil is still under the Imperius, my lord, he does as we tell him to. However, things have been difficult. He does not have quite as much influence within the Ministry as we thought. I believe it is better we dispose of him, and set our sights on Jordan."

Lord Voldemort hummed thoughtfully. "No, don't dispose of him. We need him alive for a little longer. And see what you can do about Jordan. He's a weak thing, I'm sure he can be persuaded to co-operate through gold."

"Of course, my lord."

Rochelle couldn't take it anymore. Was that her father, sitting there, speaking of _disposing_ of another human being? A wave of nausea hit her at the thought, and she scrambled to her feet, hitting the door in the process. A soft thud sounded, but Rochelle no longer cared if they heard her. She stumbled back up the stairs, running up to her room. Her head throbbed painfully, and she felt as though she would faint, but she didn't stop until she'd reached her bedroom and locked the door shut behind her.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

"What was that noise?" Abraxas Malfoy asked, sitting up when he heard a soft thud. "I think someone is outside, my lord, listening. Would you allow me to go check?"

Lord Voldemort laughed. "Sit down, Abraxas. It was only your niece. I'm afraid she overheard our conversation and was rather shocked. I assume, Alfred, that your daughter has no idea of this meeting?"

Alfred stared at the Dark Lord. He blinked, before shaking his head. "N-no, my lord."

"She seemed quite terrified. Tell me, Alfred, why has her name not come up when we were discussing new recruits? Your son serves me rather well, why not your daughter?"

Alfred Vittori looked almost lost for words. He composed himself, quickly. "My lord, my daughter is weak. She spends her time with books and her magic is mediocre, she would be of no use to you."

Lord Voldemort didn't look convinced. "If you say so. Hopefully you will marry her well. She should make a good wife for one of my Death Eaters."

Alfred Vittori nodded. "Of course, my lord."

"Hm. Well, then. Tell me more about the attack you staged in Whitehall…."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

**A/N – This last part was SO difficult to write, I'm not sure if it quite gave off the effect I intended it to. Oh well. Let me know if I can improve anything. **

**I read up a LOT, and most sources told me that Voldemort's physical transformation was due to the Horcruxes, and he'd started to appear snake-like long before whatever changes occurred at the end of GoF. I couldn't quite make him his handsome, Hogwarts self. So, clever me, I avoided a physical description and just make his voice hissy. If anyone can picture what he looked like during that time, tell me and I'll put it in. Shouldn't be too hard. **

**I expect a review after such a dramatic revelation. This is going to change a lot. Lol, I'm kidding. Please let me know what you think! Suggestions are welcome! Next chapter may or may not feature Sirius. I'm not telling. **


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Rochelle sat on the floor of her room for most of the night. As soon as she'd bolted the door behind her, her legs had given way and she'd collapsed onto her carpet. For what seemed like hours, her body couldn't move. Finally, once the daylight began to stream in through her bedroom window, she opened her eyes and realized that she had to do something.

Getting to her feet, she wobbled over to her desk and pulled out a quill and a sheet of parchment. Her hands trembling, she tried to write. Her quill blotted constantly, but she managed to finish the letter and rattled Amber's cage to wake her up. Tying it to the sleepy owl's leg, she stroked her wing gently.

"Be quick, Amber. And wait for a reply," she whispered softly to the owl. Then she walked over to her bed, pulled out an old duffel bag, and started to shove in her clothes and other belongings. By the time she'd gotten everything she needed, she zipped up the bag and sat impatiently, waiting for Amber to return.

At about nine am, a knock sounded on her door. Rochelle ignored it, but the knock sounded again. Her father' voice came in muffled through the door. "Rochelle? Are you awake? Why is the door locked?"

Rochelle froze. She couldn't face him, not now. But if she didn't open the door, she knew that he would find some way to open it easily. Taking a deep breath, she slowly walked over to the door and unbolted it. Her father walked into the room, his face stern.

"You're awake. Good. We need to talk."

Rochelle sat on the bed silently. She couldn't bring herself to speak. Even if she did, she had no idea what she'd say. Alfred Vittori stood stiffly, and glanced at the packed duffel bag on her bed.

"Are you going somewhere?"

"A friend's house," Rochelle replied. "She invited me over for a few days."

"Your mother said that was on the 25th."

"I decided to prepone."

Alfred Vittori paced the room for a few seconds, his expression stern. Then he glanced up at his daughter. "Rochelle, I want us to be frank. I know that what you saw last night may have surprised you-"

Rochelle laughed drily. "Surprise? Father, surprise is when you get an expensive gift for your birthday. What I felt last night was far from _surprise_."

Alfred Vittori stared at her. "So you already knew."

"I saw Lucius's Dark Mark. I thought he was a misguided boy. I had no idea that this was actually a family business," she spat.

"You will not use that tone with me. I'm your father, you do not judge my actions," he snapped. Then he took a deep breath, and forced himself to calm down. "I understand that you're scared. But you should know that I will always protect you. You have nothing to worry about."

Rochelle gave her father a chilling look. "I see. And who will protect the Muggle children whose fathers you've killed? Who will protect Daniel Longueil's family once you _dispose _of him?"

"You will _not _speak to me that way!" Alfred Vittori was angry now, but Rochelle found that she didn't care. His anger was nothing compared to the pain she was feeling now.

"How should I speak to you, Father? The way you speak to Voldemort?" Rochelle challenged.

"_We do not use that name in this house!_" Alfred Vittori hissed, his eyes widening. He stared at his daughter, who was sitting calmly on the bed. "This is why I never told you. You're too innocent, too young to understand-"

"Too young? You didn't think Lucius was too young to join you! How could you do that to him? Do you know how scared he is? He's deluded himself into thinking he'll bring some sort of honor to his family-"

Alfred frowned. "What Lucius has done is his father's choice, not mine. I am not responsible for your cousin, but I am responsible for _you. _Now you will unpack that bag instantly, and come downstairs to have breakfast with your mother and me."

Rochelle shook her head. "No. I'm going to Lily's. I'm ready, and I only need to wait for her to return my owl. I should be back on the 26th, thought I wouldn't suggest that you wait up." She glanced towards the window, and saw, to her relief, that Amber was flying towards the house. She stood up to open the window, but her father stopped her.

"You are _not _going anywhere," he ordered. When Rochelle still made to move Alfred Vittori grabbed his daughter's arm and pulled her back roughly. "I said _sit down!_"

Rochelle looked down calmly at where her father gripped her elbow. The sleeve covering his forearm had ridden up, and she could clearly see the end of the skull and snake tattoo poking out from under the cloth. She looked up coldly into his eyes. "Are you going to hit me, Father? Go ahead. All it will do is prove that you really are the monster I saw last night."

Alfred Vittori looked like he'd been slapped. He dropped Rochelle's arm immediately and recoiled back, as though he couldn't believe what he'd done. There was a short silence, as he stared at her. Rochelle didn't know what she saw in his eyes. He looked angry and hurt, but there was also a sense of pain in his eyes. Tearing her gaze away from him, she walked over to the window and untied the letter from Amber's leg.

The door slammed shut behind her. Rochelle glanced back, and saw that her father had left the room. Biting her lip so that she wouldn't cry, she quickly opened the letter and read the few words on the page.

"Dipsy?" she called out. A few seconds passed, and then the small house elf apparated into the room.

"Yes, miss?"

"I need you to take me to this address."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle had to admit, she was excited. As she and Dipsy apparated in the Evans's front garden in Coketown, it struck Rochelle that she'd never met a Muggle before. Certainly, she had whatever theoretical knowledge that she'd learned in Muggle Studies, but to be actually faced with one was a different matter altogether.

"This is the house, miss," Dipsy said. Rochelle nodded, looking at it. It was a pretty brick structure, nothing too grand but it certainly looked very comfortable. The front garden was neatly maintained, with a few small flowerbeds. Rochelle smiled. It looked very homely. "Will that be all, miss?"

Rochelle turned to look at Dipsy, suddenly remembering that they were in a Muggle neighborhood and that she couldn't traipse around a house elf in broad daylight. Rochelle nodded, quickly taking her bag from Dipsy. "Yes, Dipsy, you'd better go. It wouldn't be too good for you to be seen here."

The house elf looked confused, but nodded and disapparated quickly. Rochelle picked up her bag and quickly made her way to the front porch, trying not to stomp too much on the grass or ruin any flowers. She rang the doorbell, and heard running footsteps a few moments later.

"Rochelle!" Lily cried, looking happy to see her. Her long red hair was loose about her shoulders, and she was dressed in casual Muggle clothes. "You're finally here! I was so excited when I got your letter; well, actually, I was asleep but your owl woke me up. Rather persistent, isn't she?"

Rochelle smiled. "I suppose she is. Lily, I'm not causing you any trouble, am I? I know we decided on the 25th, but…"

Lily shook her head, as she helped Rochelle pull her bag into the house. "Of course not! I mean, I was a little surprised, your letter came in the middle of the night… Everything's all right, isn't it?"

Rochelle winced.

"Oh no. What happened? Is it your parents?"

"Not… exactly. I mean, we had a disagreement. I just wanted to get out of the house. Don't worry, I'm sure it'll blow over soon enough."

Rochelle felt awful lying to Lily. It _wasn't _ just a small disagreement, and there were very little chances of it blowing over. But somehow, she couldn't get herself to talk about it. She wanted to enjoy the few days she had to spend here.

"Oh. Well, I'm sorry," Lily said. She smiled at Rochelle. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll feel better soon enough. Come on; Mum's in the kitchen, she'll want to meet you."

Rochelle liked Mrs. Evans the moment she saw her. She was a short woman, with the same red hair as Lily and plump cheeks. She was bustling around the kitchen with an apron and flour all over her hands. The huge smile and welcome greeting she gave Rochelle made the girl feel warm inside. She was baking cookies, she told them, and they would be ready in half an hour. Then she sent the girls upstairs to go put Rochelle's things in Lily room.

"I pulled out one of those old inflatable beds from the attic, I hope you don't mind," Lily apologized. "We have a guest room, but it's under renovation at the moment. We can take turns sleeping on it, you'll be here for a few days anyway."

Rochelle shrugged, plopping down on the inflatable camping bed. It was bouncy, and she found herself smiling like a child as she bounced up and down. "I like it! It's actually rather comfortable… I've never been on one of these before."

Lily plopped down hard beside Rochelle, causing her to slide off the bed entirely and land on the floor. The two girls laughed together, until there was a knock on the door. Lily got up quickly and opened it. Standing on the other side was a rather bony girl who looked a few years older than Lily. She sneered when she saw Rochelle.

"I see your freaky little friend is here. Must you bring them home?"

Lily narrowed her eyes at her. "Go away, Petunia."

"As long as you two keep it down. Vernon's coming over for dinner tonight, and I don't want you two scaring him off with your freaky behavior."

Lily rolled her eyes, and closed the door in Petunia's face. She turned back to see Rochelle looked confused.

"Your older sister?"

"Yes. She doesn't like wizards much. She was sort of jealous when I got a Hogwarts letter and she didn't. She's not that bad, honestly, but I think it's hard for her to be nice to you."

Rochelle nodded. If wizards could hate Muggles, she saw no reason why Muggles shouldn't be allowed to hate wizards. She made a mental note to just stay away from Petunia Evans. "And who's Vernon?"

"Petunia's boyfriend. He's a bit of a pig."

Rochelle smiled.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle had to admit, the next two days at the Evans household passed by like a blur. Mrs. Evans made the best homemade chocolate chip cookies that Rochelle had ever tasted, and she seemed quite flattered that Rochelle enjoyed them so much. Even Mr. Evans was a rather pleasant man, who was very interested in how the Ministry of Magic worked, and the sort of work that Rochelle's father did in it. Petunia was the only one who shot Rochelle surly looks, but they didn't see her much anyway. She stayed away from Lily and Rochelle for the most part.

"The park is down there," Lily pointed out, with a smile. "I used to go all the time when I was younger. Petunia and I always fought for the swings. And if you go up and take a left, there's a bakery where they sell the most _delicious _chocolate muffins, maybe we can go later today."

Rochelle nodded. They were walking aimlessly around the neighborhood, as Lily showed her around. Rochelle had to admit, she was surprised. She'd had no idea what a Muggle town would be like, but to be honest, she couldn't see much of a difference. "What's down there?" she asked, pointing in another direction.

"Oh, um, that area's called Spinner's End," Lily muttered, looking suddenly uncomfortable. She paused for a fee moments, before sighing. "Sev-, erm, Snape lives down there."

Rochelle was surprised. She'd known that Lily and Severus had been friends during the first few years of school, but she didn't know that they lived so nearby. To be honest, by the time she and Lily became good friends, the red-head had already severed her ties with Severus. They'd never spoken about him much. "Oh. That must have been nice, it's within walking distance."

Lily nodded. "It is. Oh! And I almost forgot, here's the bookstore where I buy all those Muggle books I lent you! Come on, let's go see if there's anything new."

The sheer number of books in the store surprised Rochelle. It was fascinating how many novels there were, and she'd certainly never seen so many at once. She pulled books off the shelf one by one, reading their back covers eagerly. She wanted one so much, but…

"Are you going to get that?" Lily asked, peeking over at the book that Rochelle was looking at. "It looks interesting, doesn't it?"

Rochelle blushed, quickly putting the book back on the shelf. "Um, no, that's all right."

"Oh, why not? You love those kind."

"I, um, I don't have any Muggle money." Admitting it was somewhat difficult for Rochelle. She was used to always having enough money for whatever she wanted; both her parents always gave her more than she really needed. Not having money was an unfamiliar feeling to her. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Don't be silly, I'll get it for you!"

"No, Lily, that's all right-"

Lily grabbed the book, and started walking over to the payment counter. "Don't argue with me. If you're so determined to pay me back, we can go to the Three Broomsticks once school starts again, and you can buy me as many Butterbeers as I can drink. And believe me, I can drink quite a few.."

Rochelle laughed, her embarrassment disappearing suddenly. "All right, it's a deal…"

When the two girls got back to the house, it was late evening and Mrs. Evans was almost finished with dinner. Rochelle helped her set the table, while Lily noticed an owl waiting for her in the dining room window, and quickly went to open it.

"Who is it, dear?" Mrs. Evans asked, as Lily came back to the room with the letter in her hand. "It's not from your school, is it?"

Lily shook her head. She looked both embarrassed and uncomfortable. "Actually, no. Erm, James Potter wrote me."

Lily's mother smiled. "That boy you always used to complain about? That's so sweet. Didn't you say that he was going to come down here sometime this week? We'd love to meet him, wouldn't we, Patrick?"

Mr. Evans, who was sitting nearby reading a book, looked at them over the top of his glasses. "A boy? Well, absolutely. It's been a while since I scared one of those off. I don't want to lose my touch." He joked.

Lily flushed red. "Dad, _no. _I remember how mean you were to Vernon when Petunia first brought him home. There's no way I'm introducing you to James if you behave that way again."

Mr. Evans laughed. "I can't help it, dear. It's my job to make sure that any boys that you girls bring home are good enough for you. I'm sure Rochelle's father does the same. Doesn't he, Rochelle?"

Rochelle smiled uncomfortably at Mr. Evans. She wasn't sure how to explain that it would most likely be her _father _bringing the boy home in her case. "Of course, Mr. Evans. But I can vouch for Potter; I don't think he's capable of hurting Lily."

Dinner was a pleasant affair. Petunia didn't come down, preferring to eat upstairs because she was studying for something. The conversation flowed easily; revolving mainly around Lily and James. Rochelle almost felt jealous; she wished that she could simply bring a boy home to her parents and have them joke around about it. Her mind flashed back to Sirius, and she couldn't help but think how that might be possible. If only he hadn't run away from home…

"Can I talk to you?" Lily asked, pulling Rochelle aside after dinner. The two girls went into the sitting room, and sat down on the sofa. "It's about James. He's coming tomorrow, and erm… he's bringing Sirius."

Rochelle frowned. "Oh."

"I'm so sorry! It's just that we've been thinking about introducing him to my parents since June, and I told him that we should have it _before _your planned stay, except that got preponed, and…. I don't know what to do. I can tell him that we'll have to do it another time, if that makes it better."

Rochelle shook her head. "Absolutely not. I can tell you've been waiting for this for a while now, I'm not going to ruin it for you."

"But after everything with you and Sirius…" Lily looked hesitant. "I know! I'll just tell James to come alone. He only wanted to bring Sirius because he thought it would make the whole thing a little less awkward; you know how Sirius is, he can make anyone laugh."

Rochelle shook her head firmly. "Lily, _no. _Tell them to come, it'll be perfectly fine. It won't be awkward at all, there'll be so many people around. I honestly don't have a problem with it."

Lily frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. If worst comes to worst, I'll go upstairs and hide under the bed."

Lily laughed. "That'll be a little difficult with the inflatable mattress…"

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

**A/N – This was a bit of a filler. Major drama comes next chapter, but it might take me two more days. We'll see. I haven't written it yet, but I'm really excited. **

**Let me know what you think? I know Lily's** **parents seem a** **bit perfect, but I needed them that way for story purposes. Rochelle needed to feel at home in the Evans household. And Sirius WILL appear next chapter. There may be quite a bit of James/Lily too. **

**Review! Let me know what you think! **


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Lily and Rochelle woke up late the next morning. They trudged sleepily down the stairs after breakfast, having stayed up most of the night chatting. Mrs. Evans seemed a little annoyed when she saw them.

"Really? Is this the time to be getting up?" she scolded. She didn't sound particularly angry; just a little frustrated. "I've been cleaning up all morning, and those boys are coming for dinner; I'll have to cook for them, goodness knows how much they eat! I know teenage boys; their stomachs are bottomless pits! And the garden is in desperate need of a weeding…" Mrs. Evans sat down with as sigh, one arm on her back. "I'm getting too old for this."

Rochelle looked at Mrs. Evans, suddenly feeling guilty. She felt awful for making her do so much work. It was different at her own home; house elves did everything, but Rochelle couldn't even imagine how much there would be to do around the house if they didn't have them.

"Mum, you're not getting too old," Lily told her, with a comforting smile. "Why don't you go up to bed? You look tired."

"And who'll cook for tonight?"

Rochelle smiled at Lily. "We will."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle was almost like an excited child around the kitchen. She found everything so fascinating that Lily couldn't help but laugh at her. Rochelle had never cooked in her life, and although Lily was a little better, she'd never cooked for seven people. But they had a huge recipe book that Mrs. Evans had instructed them to follow precisely.

"No, wait. I need more flour, it's too sticky," Rochelle complained, her hands up the elbows in batter. "Where's the flour?"

"To your right," Lily instructed. She was stirring a dark red sauce on the stove, and she paused for a second, leaning over to hand Rochelle another packet of flour. Rochelle tore it open, and started measuring it into a cup. "Rochelle, do you remember how much butter goes into this?"

"About a stick, I suppose. I don't think it really matters. Have you finished with the tomatoes?"

Lily's eyes widened. "The tomatoes! No, I _knew _I was forgetting something. Oh no, I need a knife, I need a knife…"

"There's one on the counter."

"Don't be silly, that's a bread knife, I can't use that to chop vegetables!"

"The tomato is actually a fruit."

"I don't care whether it's a vegetable or a fruit, the pasta sauce will taste _awful _without it. Oh! There's a knife, thank goodness…."

The two girls worked in silence for a few moments, Lily desperately chopping up tomatoes while Rochelle tried to make the batter resemble the nice, brown, sticky substance that the recipe book described. Mr. and Mrs. Evans came down a few moments later, and looked surprised.

"Aren't you girls done yet? It's just gone six. I thought your guests were coming at half past."

Both Lily and Rochelle stared at Mrs. Evans, wide-eyed. "It's _six _already? But I'm not even dressed!" Lily cried, horrified. "There must be something wrong with my watch! Oh no, Rochelle, what are we going to do?"

Rochelle frowned, biting her lip. "It's all right. The pasta's almost done, we just need to mix it in with the sauce. And I'll just need two more minutes and I can shove the cake in the oven. We're done with the bread, and the potatoes should be done cooking any minute…"

Lily nodded, slightly comforted. "All right. Ten minutes. I'll mix in the pasta, you shove that cake in the oven, and we'll both get dressed all right?"

"Got it."

Lily finished the pasta and ran to gather plates and cutlery, while Rochelle scooped all the cake batter into a mould. It was stuck everywhere; her arms, her face and even her hair, but she couldn't help it. It didn't matter if _she _looked a mess, as long as the cake turned out edible.

The doorbell rang.

Lily cursed. "Shit. They're early. That's just _like _him to turn up even before-"

"Mind your language, young lady," Mrs. Evans scolded. She smiled, and turned to her husband. "Come on Patrick, let's go meet these boys."

"Dad, don't let them into the kitchen!" Lily cried frantically, trying to fix her hair. "What if he sees me like this, what if-"

Mr. Evans laughed. "I'll do my best."

Rochelle shoved the cake into the oven, and was just setting the timer when she heard the familiar voices drifting in from the living room. She couldn't tell what they were saying, but they slowly got louder.

"… smells amazing." Rochelle heard James's voice say, a little more loudly. It was clear that they were very close. A few seconds later, they entered the kitchen through the doorway. James Potter and Sirius Black stood there and stopped abruptly at the sight of the two messy girls in the kitchen.

"Wow," James muttered. He was staring at Lily, who quickly tugged off the red apron she was wearing in embarrassment. Rochelle rolled her eyes. What was Lily embarrassed about? _She _was the one covered in flour and cake batter!

"You're early," Lily commented, smiling. She approached James, kissed him on the cheek and shoved the apron under the counter forcefully. "You weren't supposed to see that."

James laughed. "I don't know, I'm sort of glad I did. I had no idea you could cook, Lily."

Lily shrugged and smiled at Sirius, who was looking rather stony-faced. He forced a smile back at her. "Hi Sirius. It's nice to see you too. Where's my Dad?"

James smiled. "Your parents are in the living room. Your dad said that we'd find a surprise in the kitchen and he sent us in here."

Lily rolled her eyes. "_Dad…" _

Rochelle spun the timer on the oven, and quickly closed the door. She couldn't help but notice Sirius staring at her. She took a deep breath. She wouldn't let him make her feel uncomfortable. He was only here as James's friend. Rochelle smiled, and approached them.

"Vittori," James greeted. "You look like you've been working harder than Lily."

Rochelle smiled and rolled her eyes. "It's only because I'm so useless in the kitchen. Sorry, I'd shake hands with you both, but um…" She held up her flour covered hands apologetically. James shrugged.

"That's all right."

"Well, we're going to go get dressed," Lily decided, grabbing Rochelle's arm. "Just give us about ten minutes, all right?"

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

"Are you done?" Lily asked, quickly slipping on her shoes. She'd put on a pretty maroon colored dress that suited her very well. "We should go down, I can't even _imagine_ what my father must be saying to James…"

"Just a second," Rochelle muttered, She'd wanted to shower and get all the flour out of her hair, but there wasn't enough time. She couldn't use magic to get it out, and she was starting to get frustrated. Irritably, she tried dusting her hair off.

"Oh, we don't have time… Just tie it back somehow!" Lily rummaged through Rochelle's things, and pulled out a hairpin. "Here, this matches your shirt! Just pull your hair back and nobody will notice the flour."

Rochelle turned, and saw that Lily was holding up the hairpin that Sirius had gifted her. She stared at it, sparkling in the light as the flowers swayed. "What on earth is that doing here?" she demanded. "I didn't pack that with my things!"

"Does it matter? Just put it on, quick!"

Rochelle grabbed the hairpin and yanked the slightly flour-covered hair back with it, hiding it under her plait. She couldn't help but feel bewildered. How was it that the hairpin always seemed to turn up wherever she went? Annoyed, she simply pulled her shoes on and followed Lily downstairs.

Dinner was pleasant. It seemed that Rochelle was the only one who felt uncomfortable. She'd somehow ended up sitting right opposite Sirius, and the grey eyes staring intently at her made her lose her appetite. It was difficult to enjoy the food, despite the fact that she'd cooked it herself. Everyone had complimented the cake, though. That was at least some consolation.

"I don't think I can move," James commented, once dinner was over. Everyone laughed but Petunia, who muttered something irritably. Nobody paid her any mind. "That was an _amazing _dinner. I'd compliment Lily, but I'm sure the recipes were all yours, Mrs. Evans."

Mrs. Evans smiled. She seemed to quite like James; he'd been free with his compliments all evening. It was clear that he was flattering her, but she didn't mind.

"That's so sweet, dear," she gushed. "But tonight's credit goes entirely to Lily and Rochelle, I'm afraid. Especially Rochelle, she's never even used an oven before and look at how wonderfully that cake turned out!"

Rochelle felt slightly embarrassed as all attention turned to her. She'd managed to stay rather invisible all evening. She stood up quickly and helped Mrs. Evans clear the table as Mr. Evans gestured for the boys and his daughters to shift to the living room.

"All the dishes have been scraped clean," Rochelle commented, smiling as she put them in the sink. Mrs. Evans nodded.

"Well, the food was lovely. Do you know if that boy Sirius was all right?" Mrs. Evans asked, looking concerned. Rochelle froze, and turned to the older woman.

"Pardon?"

"Well, Lily told me that he was quite the prankster; loud and made a lot of jokes, but that wasn't the impression I got today. He was pleasant, of course, but he seemed rather quiet. I couldn't help but notice that he was staring at you for most of the evening."

Rochelle cleared her throat uncomfortably as she turned the tap on and filled the sink up. "Oh."

"Do you know him very well?"

Rochelle shook her head. "Not well enough."

"Maybe you should," Mrs. Evans commented, smiling. She wiped her hands on a dishcloth, before waving Rochelle away. "Now go on, go outside with them. I'll finish off here."

Rochelle allowed Mrs. Evans to finish the dishes and entered the sitting room. She saw that James and Sirius were standing near the door, and both of them were buttoning up their coats. She looked at them, surprised. "Are you leaving already?"

"We all are," Lily said, handing Rochelle a coat. Rochelle took it, confused. "We're going to go watch a film, at a theatre nearby. I asked Dad, he said we could both go as long as we're not out too late."

James nodded. "We'd better hurry up. We don't want to miss it."

Rochelle nodded, feeling rather excited. She'd never seen a Muggle film before, only heard of them. Smiling, she followed Lily out of the front door, closing it behind her. They walked out onto the front porch. "What's the coat for?" Rochelle demanded, realizing she was still holding it. "It's mid-July."

Sirius turned to give her an incredulous look. "That's down here. When the wind's hitting you up there, you'll be glad you brought one, trust me."

Rochelle stared at him. "Sorry? Up _where_?"

Rochelle watched in silence as both Sirius and James fished out brooms from under a bush in Lily's front garden. There were four of them, one of which James handed to Lily and then he threw the other one to Rochelle. She caught it, staggering under it's weight. Lily frowned slightly.

"I don't see how this will work. It's a Muggle town. We can't land in front of the cinema on broomsticks. Why don't we walk? The weather's pleasant outside," Lily pointed out.

"You intend to walk almost 30 miles?" Sirius asked.

"_Thirty miles_? thought we were going to the cinema in the next town! That's what I told my Dad!"

James smiled. "That's what I wanted you to tell him. It's not like he'll ever know. Besides, the cinema in the next town is small and smells awful. I'd rather go somewhere better. Don't worry; we'll land in a deserted area and then walk to the theatre. Come on."

James and Sirius both mounted their brooms, followed by Lily hesitantly doing the same thing with hers. They waited for Rochelle, who simply stood still with the broom in her hands. Lily frowned.

"Rochelle? Are you coming?"

Rochelle took a deep breath. "I can't ride a broom."

There was a shocked silence. Sirius was the first to react.

"You can't ride a _broom_?" His tone was anything but polite or understanding. Rochelle glared at him.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I can't! The last time I got on a broom was first year. I crashed headfirst into the Whomping Willow and spent three days in the Hospital Wing," Rochelle admitted. "Can't we just… take the bus or something?"

"We'll never get there in time," James muttered, looking thoughtful. "I suppose it's my fault; I never thought to ask if you girls were comfortable with brooms."

Rochelle shook her head, feeling a little ashamed. "It's all right, you lot go. I'd rather stay at home than cause an accident."

Lily frowned. "But you kept saying how much you wanted to see a Muggle film! And besides, I'd feel awful leaving you at home alone. I wish I could ride _with _you, but I'm not all that good on a broom myself. I don't think I can carry us both."

"Sirius can," James commented. "Peter's sat behind him before."

There was silence. Sirius made a face, and for some reason, Rochelle felt hurt and embarrassed. She dropped the broom, and started to walk back to the house. Sirius's hand reached out and grabbed her arm. "Where are you going? Get on."

Rochelle turned to look at him. He was staring at her intently, his mouth pulled into a thin line. "It's all right. I can tell when I'm not wanted."

"Just get on. Please."

Rochelle felt hesitant, but she slowly mounted the broom as Sirius hovered about the ground. She tried to ensure that her legs didn't touch his, but it was difficult. She grasped the broom behind her with one hand, and gingerly placed another on his shoulder. "You'll have to hold on tighter than that."

"I'm fine."

"If you say so."

All three brooms lifted off the ground, and Rochelle almost yelped as she started to slide off. Her hands grasped both of Sirius's shoulders tightly. His coat was the only thing protecting him from being scratched by her nails. They quickly soared into the sky, and Rochelle found herself moving closer to Sirius. Her legs were touching his, and his messy black hair occasionally blew into her face.

"Can't keep your hands off me, can you?" Sirius asked cheekily. It was difficult to hear him over the wind, but Rochelle couldn't help but smile. He'd been cold and distant all evening; it was almost a relief to hear him flirting with her again.

"I'm clinging on for dear life, and _you_ think I'm trying to grope you," she retorted. He turned his head to the side slightly, and she could see the hint of a smile on his face. It made her feel warm, somehow. Still smiling to herself, and relieved that he couldn't see her, Rochelle made herself comfortable on the broom. Flying had always worried her, but she felt safe with Sirius controlling.

"Sirius! Left a little further down!" James called, yelling to be heard over the wind. Sirius nodded to him, and made a sharp left that Rochelle hadn't been expecting. She dug her nails into his shoulder further.

"Are you trying to kill me?"

"No but if you don't loosen your grip, I won't have any skin left on my shoulders!"

"Sorry!"

They landed sooner than Rochelle would have liked. She was getting used to the feel of Sirius's warm body against hers, and she was almost reluctant to get off the broom. They landed in a deserted street a mile or so away from the theatre. Rochelle got off the broom, and found that her feet were wobbling.

"Careful there," Sirius said, grabbing her arm to steady her. He was standing too close, and Rochelle found herself taking a deep breath. He didn't move back, his hand instead reaching up to run his fingers through her hair and flatten it. "It's a mess… the wind blew it everywhere."

"So is yours," She retorted weakly, but it was a feeble argument. The rush that went though her as his hands played with her hair was all too familiar. She'd felt it before; it happened whenever he was near her. "Merlin, you've still got _flour _in your hair, and…" he trailed off, his fingers gently brushing over the familiar hairpin. His grey eyes widened in surprise, and he looked down at her, almost as though he was waiting for an explanation.

"Are you two quite finished?" James was standing nearby, watching them both with a cheeky grin on his face. Rochelle stepped away from Sirius, embarrassed as she noticed that Lily was staring at them too. She let Sirius hide the broom along with the other ones, and the group began to walk towards the theatre. It was quite a walk, and it took them about fifteen minutes.

"So, erm, what film are we watching?" Rochelle asked, as they approached the theatre. There were bright lights outside, and it was quite crowded. James turned to smile at her.

"You'll see. I rather like this one, for obvious reasons…."

They managed to get tickets easily enough, and they quickly joined the line for snacks. James stared at the display, seemingly unable to make up his mind about which type of popcorn he wanted. There were so many options. Butter, cheese, caramel…

"He's going to take _forever,_" Lily groaned. She wrenched two of the tickets from his hand, and gave them to Rochelle. "Here, you two go get seats. I _hate _sitting in the front rows, my neck hurts when I have to look up at the screen all the time…"

Rochelle nodded, and let Sirius lead her into the actual theatre. It was unexpectedly dark, and she found herself stumbling on the steps. Sirius gripped her arm again, steadying her so that she wouldn't land on the people in front of them. She blushed, relieved that he couldn't see her embarrassment in the dark.

"Thank you."

"It's all right. Shall we go back there?"

Rochelle squinted to see where Sirius was pointing, and nodded. It was far back enough that they would be able to see the screen comfortably, and nobody else was around there. Sirius led the way, and they quickly plopped down into the seats.

"These are comfortable," Rochelle muttered, as she sank into the cushiony seats. She dropped her arm on the armrest, only to realize that Sirius's was already there. Embarrassed, she pulled her hand away. "Oh, sorry."

"It's all right," Sirius muttered. It was hard to see his face in the almost non-existent light, but she knew that he was looking at her. "Can I ask you something?"

"Um, I don't see why not."

"Why did you come tonight? You've been avoiding me for months at school because you made your choice. So what are you doing _here_?"

Rochelle froze. "I don't know what choice you're talking about-"

"Don't act innocent. You told me that you had to choose between me and your family, and you chose your family. Why doesn't that same choice apply to your friendship with Lily?"

Rochelle's throat closed up, and she didn't know what to say. He was right, she knew he was. Yet how could she even _begin _to explain how she was feeling? Biting her lip, she forced herself to speak. "Maybe I made the wrong choice."

There was a pause. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know."

Sirius looked annoyed. "You don't _know? _How the bloody hell can you not know? Merlin, Rochelle, I don't want this anymore, all right? You can't just keep hanging on the door. You tell me that you're staying away from me because you can't betray your parents and then I find you spending the summer at a Muggle-born's house. I know Lily is your best friend, and she's great. But if you can lie to your parents about her, why couldn't you do the same about me?"

Rochelle didn't know what to say. Her words were stuck in her throat and nothing was coming out. Sirius stared at her for a few moments, waiting for her to respond. When she didn't, he turned his head away from her. She took a deep breath and finally spoke.

"Maybe I didn't want to go to all the efforts simply to get hurt."

He whirled around to face her. "Who said that you would get hurt?"

"Please. You have a reputation with girls, Black. I wasn't going to lie to my parents and betray their trust for something that would have lasted for barely a few weeks. It's not worth it."

Sirius frowned. "Is that what you think of me?"

Rochelle turned to face him completely. There was no way that he was going to get off acting innocent and looking like the better person. She glared at him. "Yes, that's what I think of you. Have you ever been in a _serious_ relationship? I'm sorry, Black, but I'm not interested in a quick shag. If that was what you wanted, you've been wasting your time."

He gave her a long, hard look. "I think I _have _been wasting my time."

Rochelle turned away from him, biting the inside of her cheek to control her emotions. She spotted Lily and James enter the theatre, and waved to them so that they would see her and Sirius. The couple came and joined them a few moments later, Lily sitting down beside Rochelle with James on her other side.

"Oh, these seats are wonderful!" Lily said, smiling at both Rochelle and Sirius. When neither of them responded, she frowned and noticed their stony expressions. There was a slight pause, and Sirius got out of his seat and moved to the other end so he could sit beside James. Lily watched him, confused. "Did something happen?" she asked Rochelle quietly.

Rochelle bit her lip. "It's all right. Don't worry about it."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle tried to enjoy the movie as best as she could. Lily managed to tell her a bit about the main hero, whose name was James Bond. Now she understood why Potter was so eager to watch the movie. Lily tried to explain the Muggle government and MI-6 and secret agents the best she could, but most of it was still muddled up in Rochelle's brain. Although she didn't quite understand most of it, Rochelle found herself intrigued.

"I thought it was brilliant!" James insisted, as they walked out of the theatre. He stopped in front of Lily, and held his hand out to her. "The name is Potter. James Potter."

Lily rolled her eyes, but she was smiling all the same. "Do that again and I'll smack you."

They all laughed, as James continued to act stupid. Lily held his hand, and Sirius fell behind slightly, walking beside Rochelle. She turned to look at him, and he lowered his voice.

"I think they want some time alone."

Rochelle stared at Sirius, not understanding. He nodded his head towards Lily and James, who were walking in front of them, hand-in-hand and gazing at each other. Rochelle blushed as she realized what he was trying to say. "Oh. Erm… what do we do, then?"

"I don't know," he muttered. He raised his voice to get his friend's attention. "James, Lily! We're going to take the long way back. I'm feeling a bit peckish and I saw a bakery down by the bridge."

Both James and Lily turned. James grinned widely, but Lily only looked doubtful.

"What? Are you sure?" she asked, looking at Rochelle. The girl looked uncomfortable, but nodded firmly. "Why don't we all go, then?"

"No need. It's a long walk, you two head to where we put the brooms. We'll meet you there soon enough," Sirius assured her. Lily frowned but nodded, and started walking away with James.

As soon as they were gone, Rochelle felt uncomfortable. Why had she agreed to this? She had no idea how long the walk was, or which direction to go in. And now she was entirely dependent on a boy who, if his actions were to be believed, hated her.? What if he got mad and decided to leave her in the middle of nowhere? She didn't even have her wand… Rochelle decided that she would make safe small talk.

"Have a nice time, tonight?" Rochelle asked lightly. He gave her a bitter look in response.

"I suppose," Sirius muttered.

"Had you ever seen a Muggle film before?"

"Once."

Rochelle frowned at his curt and uninterested responses. She picked up her pace slightly so that she was walking beside him instead of behind him. "This was your idea. Can't you at least make an effort to be civil?"

"I don't see why I should. You're the one that hasn't spoken to me in over three months. Why change that now?"

Rochelle shook her head, and simply continued walking. The streets were small and narrow, and there weren't many people around. Rochelle caught sight of a small stone bridge up ahead. She ignored Sirius, until he grabbed her hand.

"What?" she demanded.

"Bakery. Or did you forget?"

She allowed him to pull her into the small store that smelled strongly of melted sugar and baking bread. The scent was heavenly, and Rochelle closed her eyes for a few moments while Sirius walked up to the counter. He glanced at the different options spread out in front of them.

"What do you want?" Sirius asked, not turning to look at her. He scratched his chin as he contemplated the different options.

Rochelle sighed. "I'm fine, thanks."

He gave her an odd look, and then gestured to the man behind the counter. He pointed at a pile of what looked like chocolate-coated éclairs. "Can I have two of those, please?"

Rochelle frowned, as Sirius paid the man and tried to give her one of the éclairs. "I said I was fine."

"You did," he replied simply, shoving the éclair into her hand forcefully as they exited the warm store. "But you looked like you wanted one. Don't worry about putting on any weight; we have a long walk ahead of us."

Rochelle raised an eyebrow. "Are you calling me fat?"

The corner of Sirius's mouth turned up slightly, against his will. "Wouldn't dream of it."

Rochelle bit into the éclair as they walked, relishing the warm chocolate that gushed into her mouth. It felt wonderful, and she wiped her mouth quickly with a tissue. Glancing over at Sirius, she realized that he was eating it a lot more messily; the way he shoved it into his mouth made him look like a child. Rochelle couldn't resist a giggle. Sirius stopped suddenly, and turned to look at her.

"What?" she asked, feeling self-conscious.

Sirius shook his head. "Nothing. I haven't heard you laugh in while." Rochelle could almost hear an _I've missed it_ at the end of his sentence, but he never said it. She wondered if she'd been imagining the look in his eyes. "Maybe you should do it more."

"Maybe I would if you hadn't been acting so rude all night."

"Rude?" Sirius demanded, anger flashing in his eyes. "_I'm _acting rude? Bloody hell, woman, you haven't even spoken to me for three months! I hate to break it to you, but I think ignoring someone after they tell you they care about you is pretty bloody rude!"

Rochelle frowned. Who was he to yell at her like that? "You never made any effort to talk to me after that, did you? I don't see how you can just make everything out to be my fault!"

"Because it _is _your fault!" he snapped. "You were the one who told me that you chose your parents and then you were just _standing _in Lily'skitchen with that stupid _flour _all over your face, and I just wanted to bloody kiss you right there!"

Rochelle froze for a moment, and stared at him. They'd both stopped walking. "Why didn't you?" she asked softly.

Sirius gave her a bitter look. "Because I wasn't going to force myself on a girl who thinks I'm some blood traitorous shit. Don't worry, Rochelle; I got the message loud and clear. _I know when I'm not wanted._"

Rochelle felt something lurch in her stomach. "I don't think that."

"I know perfectly well what you think of me. I'd rather not hear it again from you. Can we just hurry up and walk back?"

"I don't think that about you!" Rochelle snapped, stepping in front of him so that he couldn't walk away from her. "Merlin, Black, I don't just say what comes to my mind! I meant it when I told you that I understood what you did. How could I not? I thought about doing the same thing the other night, I was _this _close to just walking away from my family!"

Sirius blinked at her, the confession seeming to shock him. He stepped closer to Rochelle, putting a hand on her cheek so that she was looking straight at him. Rochelle didn't try to pull away. "Would you do it?"

"What?"

Sirius took a deep breath, and pulled Rochelle closer to him. "Would you do it, Rochelle? Would you leave them? I'm not asking you to do it for me, or for Lily or anyone else. I'm asking you to do it for _yourself._ Is there even the slightest chance that you would leave your family one day?"

Rochelle looked into those intense grey eyes. They were pleading with her to say yes. Rochelle didn't know if Sirius Black meant a word he said. She didn't know if he was being genuine, and she didn't know if she could trust him.

But she wanted to. She wanted to trust him so badly.

She opened her mouth to reply, but she was cut off by screams and yells coming from below the bridge that they were standing near. She pulled away from Sirius, and turned to see that there were jets of light flashing down below near the river. The screams became louder, and Rochelle's breath caught in her throat as she saw a group of ominous figures wearing large, dark, masks.

"Death Eaters," Sirius whispered.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

**A/N – Okay, now THAT is what I call a cliffhanger. Please tell me that you didn't see it coming. Okay, on second thoughts, maybe you did. But you could just make me happy anyway. **

**Clearly, the next chapter's going to be packed with action. Did anyone else miss Sirius in the last couple of chapters? I sure did. I'm contemplating doing the next chapter more from his point of view that Rochelle's. What do you guys think?**

**I did it! Chapter 25! Maybe you can leave a review to mark my silver jubilee?**


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Rochelle froze in horror. The screams were getting louder from beneath the bridge, and it wouldn't be long before a Death Eater looked up and saw them. Grabbing Sirius's hand, she pulled him so that they were out of sight of the bridge.

"What are you doing?" Sirius demanded, wrenching his arm out of her grasp once Rochelle had yanked him into a deserted, narrow by-lane. "Those are Muggles _dying _out there! We have to go help!"

"_Help_?" Rochelle almost screeched. "How exactly do you intend to help, Black? Those are at least a dozen full grown men who are trained In the Dark Arts, and you want to fight them alone? I think you'd be doing a lot more damage than good!"

Sirius shook his head, pulling his wand out from his jeans pocket. Rochelle watched him in disbelief. Was he completely insane? "I don't care. I can't stand here while they torture and kill innocent people! You can join me if you want to, or you can run like a coward-"

"I'm not a coward! For Merlin's sake, would you stop and _think_? You can't go march in there like some bloody hero! They'd kill you before you could even lift your wand, do you not understand that? You can die for a cause if you want, but I'm sure as hell not letting you die for _nothing_!"

Sirius stared at her, his grey eyes torn. It was clear that he saw her point; they were two teenagers, only one of whom could use a wand. But there was some part of the Gryffindor in him that wouldn't let him run while people died nearby. Rochelle watched the battle raging in his eyes silently, while clutching his arm. "Sirius. _Please_."

Something in him cracked, and he turned around, noticing that some of the Death Eaters were starting to apparate to the top of the bridge. Two of the cloaked figures were clearly visible on the other side and Sirius tensed, grabbing Rochelle's hand. "You're right. We have to run. If I can't protect them, I'm going to at least protect you."

"Can you apparate?" Rochelle asked desperately. She knew how to, but it was risky. She wouldn't be seventeen for another month and with the Trace still on her, she didn't think it was an option. But if Sirius could do it…

"Yes, but not side-along!" Sirius replied quickly. "I can't take you with me unless you want to risk getting splinched."

"That's okay, just go-"

"No! There's no way I'm leaving you here when you can't even use a wand," Sirius replied firmly. "We just have to run and find somewhere to hide. Come on!"

Rochelle followed Sirius helplessly as he tugged her down the street. A thought struck her suddenly, and she froze in horror. She stopped running, and Sirius turned back to glare at her.

"What are you doing? _Come on!_" he yelled. Rochelle shook her head frantically.

"Potter and Lily!"

Sirius froze as well, as he realized what Rochelle was trying to say. James and Lily were out there somewhere, with no idea that Death Eaters were so close by. What could they do? He realized that he had to get a message to them somehow, telling them to run and hide. But how could he possibly…

"How do we tell them?" Rochelle demanded, yelling to be heard over all the commotion. "Bloody hell, Black, you must have _some _way of contacting each other in emergencies!"

Rochelle watched as it struck him. Sirius raised his wand quickly, and a silver Patronus shot out if it. It was in the shape of a dog, but Rochelle only saw it for a few seconds before it disappeared down the street. Sirius grabbed Rochelle's arm. "James will get the message! Come on, we have to go now!"

The Death Eaters were getting closer; Rochelle risked a glance back and saw that they were halfway across the bridge, jets of light streaming everywhere. She picked up her pace as a red streak headed in their direction. A Death Eater had spotted them, and she saw him point at them.

"They saw us," Rochelle gasped, as she tried to keep pace with Sirius. She was nowhere near as fit as him, but he stopped running after a few moments, pulling her towards an empty abandoned store by the side of the street. It looked run-down and badly in need of repair, but Rochelle couldn't care less. If it was shelter, that was enough.

"_Alohamora,_" Sirius breathed, stabbing his wand at the padlock. It snapped open and he ran into the dusty store, almost tripping over broken planks of wood that were lying on the floor. He swung the door shut again, relocked it with his wand, and started to run up the stairs.

The abandoned store was dusty, and Rochelle had to swat cobwebs out of her face as she followed Sirius up into the attic. They entered a small room with a narrow ceiling, and Sirius shut the door behind them and locked it. They were plunged into darkness.

"Do you think they followed us?" He whispered, doubtfully. Rochelle could no longer see him, but the comforting pressure of his hand in hers was still there. She took a deep breath, and almost sneezed because of the dust that entered her nose. She tried to keep it in, but it was difficult. "_Muffliato," _Sirius hissed, sensing that she was going to sneeze. "_Lumos."_

The tip of Sirius's wand lit up, allowing Rochelle to see his face and the room. She shivered slightly, and glanced around. It was a dusty little attic, and a small scratching noise coming from the corner told her that there were rats. Boxes were piled up on one wall, but the rest of the room was empty.

"I hear them," Sirius muttered quietly, instantly putting out the light. Rochelle held her breath as she realized that he was right. There were footsteps and soft voices downstairs. The Death Eaters had found them. Her entire body froze in horror for a few seconds, as she tried to think.

"You need to apparate out of here," she told Sirius, firmly. "They've found us, and there's nothing we can do. The least you can do is save yourself."

It was too dark to see Sirius's expression, but his tone told her that if he could, he would be glaring at her. "Do you really think I would do that?"

Rochelle didn't respond, simply strained her ears to listen to the people downstairs. There were two distinct voices, and she could only just hear them very faintly. She put her ear to the door, ignoring the cobwebs that got caught in her hair.

"… I saw them, I did. A boy and a girl, the boy was carrying a wand. I swear they ran in somewhere around here."

"Well, they're not here now, are they?" The voice was so familiar, it made Rochelle's heart clench. _Uncle Abraxas_. "You said the boy had a wand. He must have disapparated with her. You are wasting my time; no wonder the Dark Lord is sick of you."

"But I saw them, they were here… what if they went upstairs?"

"Go look, then. I'll wait here."

Rochelle heard footsteps on the stairs, and whirled around to face Sirius. Or at least, she _thought _she was facing Sirius. The only reason she knew he was still there was because he was still clutching her hand. "Black, _go. _You have to disapparate now, he's coming up!"

"I told you before, I'm not going to-"

"Yes, you are! That's Uncle Abraxas, if he realizes who you are, it'll be both of our heads on the line! If you go I can still make up some story, he wouldn't hurt me without-"

"Shut up!" Sirius hissed, lighting up his wand for a moment. Rochelle wanted to scream at him for being so stupid, but he used his wand to capture the rat that was sitting in the corner of the attic. Rochelle flinched away as he caught it in his hand, and cast a spell on it to make it abnormally large. Her eyes widened in disgust, but Sirius quietly opened the door and let the rat out of the room and down the stairs.

"Are you _insane_?" Rochelle hissed, but before she could finish, a yell of surprise was heard on the stairs. The other Death Eater sprinted back down, panting slightly.

"There are giant rats up there, I'm not going to go look!" he wheezed, as he reached the ground floor. "You're right, there's no way they're up there. Must have Disapparated. Come on, Abraxas, let's go. We're missing all the fun outside."

Rochelle held her breath as the two Death Eaters left the store, and she sank against the wall in relief. Sirius relighted his wand, and sat down on the floor quietly after clearing away the majority of the cobwebs. Rochelle sat beside him, her hands trembling from the shock.

"That was close, wasn't it?" Sirius asked, quietly. Rochelle nodded, taking a deep breath to compose herself before glaring at him.

"That was a stupid move. You had _no _idea it would work!"

"Well, it was certainly better than your plan! What would you have done once I disapparated, eh? What story could you possibly conjure up that would explain to your dear Uncle why you were hiding in an attic in a Muggle town?"

Rochelle sighed. "I don't know. I just thought that them finding me here alone was better than finding me here with you."

Sirius gave her a dark look. "I see. That way, at least they wouldn't know that you were with a blood traitor. Your precious blood status would be safe. I'm sorry, I should have realized the _danger _I was putting you in."

Rochelle glared back at him. "Would you stop judging me so hastily? That's not what I meant at all! Uncle Abraxas isn't one to listen to other people before he jumps to conclusions. If he thought that you'd kidnapped me or brought me here by force, then the first thing he would do is kill you, no questions asked. Explanations would come later. If it was just me, he would at least wait to hear me out."

Sirius paused for a moment. "Your family is so pleasant. I had no idea Malfoy's Dad was a Death Eater. I mean, I always thought he was evil, but…" He glanced at her. "Sorry, I know he's family and all, but-"

Rochelle tilted her head back, resting it against the wall behind her. She bit her lip. "Don't apologize. You were the first person to suggest that my entire family were Death Eaters, and I almost hexed you for it. If I'd known then that you were right all along…" she shuddered slightly, feeling her voice crack. "I-I can't help but wonder if things would have been different if my father had told me when I was younger. Would I be one of them? Would they have forced me to join them like they did Lucius?"

Sirius stared straight at her. The light from his wand was dim, but his eyes seemed to have a light of their own. Rochelle shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. "What if they do? If they told you that you had to join one day, what would you do?"

Rochelle stared at Sirius. The thought hadn't occurred to her. She'd never thought her father was capable of doing something like that; but then again, recent events had proven that she didn't know him as well as she thought. What _would _she do if he dragged her in front of the Dark Lord one day and told her it was time to get her own Mark?

"Would you run?" he pressed, trying to get her to look in her eyes. It was clear what answer he was hoping for. "If he told you to torture a Muggle or something like that, would you defy them and run away?"

Rochelle took a deep breath. "I'd want to. But I don't know if I could. I'm a Slytherin, Black, we're not known for our bravery. Where would I go? What would I do? I don't know if I could survive out there. I think… I think I'd be too scared. I've never been on my own, and I know I sound like such a coward, but-"

"You wouldn't be on your own."

Rochelle stared at him. "What do you mean?"

Sirius took a deep breath. He turned her head to face his, looking her straight in the eyes. "You'd have Lily. I know she cares about you a lot, she thinks of you as her best friend And you'd have me. Rochelle, I can't force you to do anything. But if you do make the right choice, I'll protect you. I'd never let them hurt you."

Rochelle's head spun. She couldn't believe he was saying this to her. Her father thought that he was protecting her from Sirius Black, and now Sirius Black was offering to protect her from her father. The situation was so ironical that Rochelle almost wanted to laugh.

But the question remained. _Who did she need protecting from?_

"I can't ask you to do that," she said softly. "I can't be a burden on anyone. I feel horrible enough staying at Lily's place now, when my conscience knows that I lied, because I couldn't even tell her…"

"Tell her what?" Sirius pressed.

"What do you think?" Rochelle demanded, the desperation rising in her voice. "How would Lily react if she knew that _my father_ was probably the one that killed those Muggles in her town? What will she think when I tell her that the people she so feared would hurt her parents are my _family_? Do you think she'll ever speak to me again? The sight of me would _disgust_ her, and I wouldn't blame her for it."

Tears had started to leak from Rochelle's eyes, and Sirius stared at the girl, unsure what to do. He scooted closer slowly, and wrapped his arms around her. Her body was shuddering, and he tightened his grip. "You shouldn't feel guilty for their actions. There was nothing you could do. Lily would understand that."

"Would she? Would anyone? Maybe I couldn't stop them, but I've been with them all these years. How would me running away now change anything? It wouldn't save any lives, it wouldn't stop them from killing all those people…"

Sirius shook his head, removing one of his arms from around her, and putting it on her cheek. He pulled her face closer to his. "It's like what you told me earlier. I couldn't save those Muggles, so there was no point in me suffering for them. I had to save myself. And so do you. Maybe you can't stop your family, maybe their beliefs are too firmly rooted to change them now. But you can save _yourself_. Do it. Don't suffer for nothing. You have us. Me, Lily, James, we're all here for you."

Her eyes widened at the reality of his words struck. She nodded wordlessly, as Sirius pulled her even closer. One of his arms was wrapped around her back, the other hand cupped her cheek and held her in place as he moved in closer. His breath ghosted across her face when he stopped, inches away.

"This feels right to me," he muttered. "But if you still think it's wrong, tell me and I'll stop."

"Don't you dare," she mumbled. He pulled away a few inches, in surprise, and then smiled and tilted his head forward to meet her lips with his. She responded eagerly, reaching out to feel his hair between her fingers. His warm lips pressed against hers, his fingers stroking her cheeks softly.

And when Rochelle pulled away slowly, and stared into those beautiful grey eyes, her parents were the last thing on her mind. Sirius kept his forehead pressed against hers, as a cocky grin began to spread across his face. Rochelle only looked at him, confused.

"What?" she asked.

" You liar."

Rochelle pulled her head away from his, slowly. She wasn't sure what he was trying to say. "Excuse me?"

"You would _never _have shagged Frederick Nott," he muttered, before kissing her again. Rochelle smiled, and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh really? Are you sure about that?"

Sirius opened his mouth to respond, but he was cut off by a silvery light filling the room. Rochelle jumped in shock, but Sirius put his hand on her to calm her down. He recognized the shape that the silvery light began to form, and the huge stag in front of them spoke with James Potter's voice.

"We're safe. Meet us back where we left the broomsticks as soon as you can."


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

Rochelle Vittori was standing at Platform 9 ¾ , carrying her owl's cage in one hand, while Dipsy the house elf pulled her trunk. All around her, children were hugging their parents goodbye. One particular eleven-year old boy was trying desperately to wrench himself out of his mother's tight hug. The mother was almost in tears, but the boy only wanted to see what the train looked like.

An unexpected wave of nostalgia struck Rochelle, as she realized that this was the last time she would ever stand at this platform with her trunk, waiting eagerly to start yet another school year. The realization hit her hard. The next time she would stand here waiting for the train was when she would come to see off her own children.

_But there's a long time yet, _Rochelle thought, watching as the teary mother finally released her son. _And I certainly won't behave like that. _

"Would miss like help with the trunk?" Dipsy asked helpfully. Rochelle glanced down at Dipsy, and felt a sudden urge to hug the house elf. She'd never mistreated Dipsy, but Rochelle had certainly taken the sweet little creature for granted many times. She regretted it now. For the past month, Dipsy was the only member of her household who had been treating her the same way as she had before.

"I'm fine, Dipsy," Rochelle assured her, taking the trunk from the house elf. "Why don't you go back home? Mother won't be pleased if you're late."

Dipsy nodded and disapparated, before Rochelle could say another word. Now feeling completely alone, she slowly walked up to the train, and started to carry her trunk into it. It was difficult; she had more books this year than she'd ever had before, and her trunk was unbelievably heavy. She grunted, before a hand tapped her on the shoulder.

"Would you like some help with that?"

Rochelle whirled around, and saw that Peter Pettigrew was standing somewhat shyly behind her. She was surprised; despite the fact that her relations with the Marauders had improved drastically in recent times, Peter had never quite spoken to her. She nodded and smiled at him gratefully as he helped her lift the trunk onto the train.

"Ow-what's in that?" he asked, surprised at how heavy it was. "I've never lifted a trunk _that _heavy!"

Rochelle thought that he probably hadn't lifted many trunks at all; although Peter was larger than her, he was still much smaller than many of the boys in their year. She smiled back at him, though. "Books. I'm afraid I took a few too many classes for NEWTs… I'm starting to regret it."

Peter nodded, following her down the aisle with his own trunk. They pushed past a few first-years until Remus Lupin appeared a few compartments away. He waved at Peter and then smiled at Rochelle.

"Peter, there you are! Oh hello, Vittori," Remus greeted pleasantly. He seemed to be in a rather good mood, though his curious expression showed that he hadn't quite expected to see the two together. "Had a nice holidays?"

Rochelle shrugged. "All right, I suppose. Peter was just kind enough to help me with my trunk. Sorry, I'll leave you two, I should find a compartment…"

"Come to ours," Remus suggested, surprising Rochelle slightly. "Lily's already there. I think she wanted to speak to you, she seemed quite excited about the- oh, but I'll let her tell you herself. Come on, this way."

Rochelle followed Remus and Peter to a compartment near the end of the train. She found herself ducking out of sight instinctively, when a seventh-year Slytherin she knew walked past; but she stopped immediately once she remembered what she was doing. Rochelle had gotten so used to hiding her friendship with Lily from her housemates that she was doing it without realizing it. She walked the rest of the way, ignoring anyone that might be looking at her.

When Remus slid the glass door open, Rochelle saw that James, Sirius and Lily were already sitting there. Sirius and James greeted Peter with big grins and claps on the back, while Lily closed the book she was reading and gestured for Rochelle to sit beside her .

"Hello, Lily," Rochelle greeted, smiling at her friend. "I'm so sorry I didn't write back to you before, but I _loved _the books you sent me for my birthday. I finished reading the first one, and I've just started on the second."

Lily smiled at her. "I'm glad you did. How did your birthday go? Any surprises?"

Rochelle's smile faltered a little bit. "Um, honestly? It was rather painful. My mother and father had some guests over for dinner, and I didn't really feel like speaking to anyone. But it's all right. Some of the presents I got made up for it, especially yours."

Lily smiled back at Rochelle, concerned. Rochelle always seemed to avoid talking about her family, and Lily couldn't quite understand why. But she didn't want to press anything, or make her uncomfortable, so she smiled and changed the topic. "Well. Notice anything different about me?"

Rochelle frowned, looking at Lily. "Different? Um, no… did you cut your hair?"

Lily shook her head, her smile growing bigger. "No, guess again. And I'll give you a hint; it's not on my face or on my _head_ at all."

Rochelle narrowed her eyes, trying to figure out what was different about Lily. Her mouth almost dropped open when she noticed the small silver badge that was pinned near the shoulder of her shirt. Rochelle smiled happily for her friend. "You're _Head Girl? _Lily, that's wonderful, congratulations! Well, I knew that it was probably going to be you, but…"

Lily beamed, looking extremely proud of herself. "I know! Mum and Dad were _so _proud of me, and I'm so excited. Guess who the Head Boy is!"

Rochelle rolled her eyes playfully and turned to James Potter, who was sitting across from the two girls and watching them. She realized she was right when she saw a similar badge on his shirt. "Who else? Congratulations, Potter. Though I'm warning you, you'll probably be stuck with a lot of responsibility now… you can't get away with pushing all the work on Lily."

James grinned. "Thanks, Vittori. But I think I can manage."

Sirius turned from his conversation with Remus. His eyes paused on Rochelle for a moment, and he smiled at her before turning to James. "Of course you can manage, mate. I'm sure that sharing a dorm with Lily is going to make up for all that. Remind me not to enter without knocking first?"

Lily flushed red and threw her book at Sirius, while James simply laughed. Sirius caught the book, and handed it back to Lily with a smile and a wink in Rochelle's direction. Lily shoved the book into her trunk, before standing up quickly. "Well, we should go to the Prefect's compartments, I'm supposed to be giving out instructions! James, let's go."

Potter raised an eyebrow. "Five more minutes?"

Lily narrowed her eyes at him. "James Potter, if you think that you can spend the rest of this year neglecting your duties and shoving them all on me, this relationship will be over before you can- "

"All right, all right!" James stood up quickly, and followed Lily to the entrance of the compartment. He glanced back at Remus and Rochelle, the two prefects. "Aren't you two coming, then?"

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle sat alone at the Slytherin table that evening, as all the students watched the sorting. She could see Gemma and her friends a few seats down, and Lucius was seated at the other end of the table with some of his friends and Narcissa. Rochelle smiled to herself when she realized that there would be one less Black sister at Hogwarts this year; Bellatrix had graduated.

"_Slytherin!" _the Sorting Hat called out, and Rochelle reminded herself to clap along with the rest of her housemates. A confident looking blonde-haired girl sat down at the table, and the Sorting continued.

The feast began eventually, and just as Rochelle was starting to pile food onto her plate, a large figure sat down in the empty space beside her. She looked up and saw Rabastan Lestrange, who was smiling politely at her.

"You don't mind, do you? I was getting rather tired of hearing about Manheim's new broom, and you looked a little lonely."

Rochelle smiled back at him forcefully. She couldn't exactly say _no, _and she'd found that she didn't mind Rabastan Lestrange quite as much as she used to. She couldn't fathom why he seemed to make so much effort to talk to her, though; rumors were that he was soon to be betrothed to someone."No, that's all right. How were your holidays?"

"Fine, I suppose. Spent most of them with Dad. He wants me to join the Ministry, so he's been trying to show me around the office, and what he does. He's pinned his hopes on me."

Rochelle raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what do _you_ want to do?"

Rabastan gave her a curious look, as he piled potatoes onto his plate. "What does that mean? Obviously I want whatever my father thinks is best."

Rochelle felt a sudden rush of pity, as she looked at Rabastan. He was digging into his food, and Rochelle turned her head away, towards her own plate.

As a seventh-year Prefect, it was her duty to show all the first-years where the common room was. It was nice to see all their awed faces and excited expressions. Rochelle had found the dungeons rather scary the first time she'd entered them, and remembered how Lucius had boasted of not being afraid of anything. He'd screamed like a little girl when a student's cat brushed up against his leg.

"All right, to bed now. You'll have to be up in the morning, classes start at eight!" Rochelle called out She made sure that two of the fifth-year prefects were going to show all the new students to their dorms, and then quietly exited the Slytherin common room. She walked down a few corridors, silently, before a figure appeared in front of her.

"I thought I saw you," Rochelle greeted, as Sirius bundled the Invisibility Cloak under his arm. His hair was a bit of a mess, and she resisted the urge to run her hands through it and smoothen it out. He simply smiled, and they started to walk down the empty dungeon corridor together. "You're too tall for that Cloak. I could see the heels of your shoes. You're lucky nobody else noticed."

Sirius grinned. "I _wanted _you to see me, how else would you have known I was here?"

Rochelle nodded with a smile, before she realized that they were standing in the middle of the corridor. Any of the older Slytherin students could come walking down and see them together. She frowned, biting her lip. "This isn't the best place to talk."

Sirius nodded, shaking out the Cloak again, and pulling her underneath it with him. Sirius wrapped one of his arms around Rochelle's waist and lead her upstairs to the seventh floor. Rochelle felt a rush go through her at their proximity. He grinned at her again, and stopped at the end of a corridor, where there was a wall before them. Rochelle stared at Sirius.

"Well. This is rather anticlimactic. If you wanted a blank wall, we didn't have to walk up _seven floors_ to get all the way to-"

"Shh," Sirius said, smiling. "It's not a wall. Welcome, Rochelle, to the Room of Requirement."

He walked past the wall three times, muttering under his breath. Rochelle watched in confusion and slight annoyance, until a door materialized in front of them. Sirius grasped the handle, pushed it open, and gestured for Rochelle to enter.

Rochelle stepped into a dim, cozy looking- sitting room. There were a pair of comfortable armchairs, and a cushiony loveseat in front of a warm fire, which was the only source of light. A lush red carpet was spread out on the floor between them, and Rochelle smiled. "What is this place?"

"The Room of Requirement. Turns into anything you want it to," Sirius replied. He sat down on the red carpet, leaning his back against one of the armchairs. Rochelle sat beside him, still slightly awed and allowed Sirius to put an arm around her.

"It's amazing."

"I know. So, how were your holidays? You said you'd write but you never did."

Rochelle nodded. She _had _promised to write him, that night as they flew back to Lily's house after the event with the Death Eaters. But once she'd gone home, she couldn't think of what to put down on the parchment. Rochelle smiled apologetically. "Sorry. I was just distracted."

Sirius nodded. His hand rubbed her shoulder absent-mindedly, and Rochelle could feel the warmth through her shirt. "With what? Is everything all right?"

"I suppose not. I mean… " Rochelle sighed. She wasn't sure how to explain the situation at home. After she'd gotten back from Lily's place, the Vittori family had taken a drastic change for the worse. "My mother has stopped speaking to me. It's not like she's angry or anything, she just acts as if I'm not there. I feel like we're complete strangers living in the same house. Father's been off on business trips; he hasn't been at home much. But when he is, he hasn't spoken to me either. I can hear them arguing sometimes, when they think I'm upstairs…"

Sirius frowned. Part of him didn't _want_ her to patch up things with her family; he could imagine what that would mean for him. He was almost scared that Rochelle would just change her mind and decide that she was better off without the lot of them. But he hated seeing her upset. "Is there anything I can do to help? A hug, maybe?"

Rochelle laughed at how cute his expression looked. "Don't make that face at me! It makes you look like a cute, innocent, puppy."

Sirius grinned. "That's why I do it. Don't all girls just love puppies?"

Rochelle rolled her eyes. "Not necessarily. To be honest, I never really liked dogs. I mean, puppies are cute, but big scary canines that put their ugly paws all over you and start slobbering on your face? That's just disgusting. I don't know how people can stand them. And they smell _awful_, covered in dirt and fleas, and… _why_ are you looking at me like that?"

Sirius seemed to be holding in a laugh, and Rochelle couldn't fathom what she'd said that was so funny. He shook his head silently, and she glared at him.

"What is it? Tell me what you're laughing about!"

"Nothing!"

Rochelle shoved his arm playfully, until something struck her. Her eyes widened in horror as she realized what she'd just said. "Merlin, your _patronus _is a dog! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to offend you, I just-"

Sirius shook his head, as he watching her face turn slightly pink from the embarrassment. He didn't particularly care that Rochelle didn't like dogs; he was sure he could change her mind about that soon enough. But it was adorable at how horrified she was that she might have offended him. "Rochelle, it's all right. Really."

Rochelle shook her head, but stopped when Sirius turned her chin to make her face him. His grey eyes glinted with amusement, and he pulled her closer to him, scooting across the soft red carpet.

"What are you doing?" Rochelle muttered, but he'd already brought his face down and was pressing his lips against hers. It was more passionate than the kiss in that abandoned attic; Rochelle had been unsure then, she hadn't known what she was doing. But now, she gripped Sirius's shoulders tightly, and shuddered as he lightly nipped at her lower lip. His arms tightened around her waist as he pulled her closer, and he placed small butterfly kisses along her jaw line, tickling her.

"Sirius," she muttered. His hands had slid under her robes, only the thin white shirt separating his cold hands from the warm skin on her stomach. Her body shuddered involuntarily as he rubbed his hands up and down her sides, pulling her so she was almost sitting on his lap. "_Sirius!_"

"What?" he asked. He pulled his face away from hers, but hoisted her further up so that she was sitting comfortably on his knees. Her hands still grasped his shoulders, as they stared at each other their faces inches apart. "Are you all right?"

Rochelle bit her lip, shaking her head slowly. One of Sirius's hands had left her waist and started to touch the long plait that was hanging over her shoulder. She stayed still as he pulled the ribbon off the end, and slowly started to unravel it. "What are you doing?"

"I'm getting rid of this _atrocious _plait you insist on putting your hair in-"

"No," Rochelle insisted, pulling his hands away from her hair. Half of the plait had unraveled, but she tossed it behind her shoulder, out of his reach and shook her head. "Sirius, I've never done anything like this before."

"Had a forbidden, passionate affair? I certainly hope not, I haven't either," he joked lightly, reaching out to grasp her hair again. She slapped his hand away.

"Is that what we're doing? Having a forbidden, passionate affair?" she asked, unable to stop smiling. Sirius nodded at her with a grin.

"Why?"

"Well, in that case, I'm very disappointed," she teased, lifting the hand that was on his shoulder and slowly running it along the skin on his neck. He bit his lip at her, his grey eyes flashing amusement. "I certainly thought that there would be a lot more… _passion_."

Sirius's eyes darkened suddenly, and he pressed his lips to hers harder, one hand pulling her closer while the other finished unraveling her hair. Stands of dark hair fell over Rochelle's shoulders, tickling Sirius's face as he wrapped his arms around her waist again. He could feel her burning hot skin through the thin white shirt, and Rochelle gasped loudly when he bit down on her lip.

"Too much passion for you?" Sirius teased, when she pulled away to catch her breath. Rochelle rested he forehead against his, and shook her head before reaching back to tie her hair up again. Sirius yanked the ribbon out of her hands, but she pulled it back again and continued tying. "Why do you have to do that? Leave it alone."

Rochelle rolled her eyes. "It's uncomfortable. _You _try having hair that reaches all the way down your back. My mother never let me cut it shorter, thought I always wanted to," she paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. "Maybe I should just cut it off and see how she reacts."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "As much as I love your new-founded rebellious nature, I think I should tell you that if you cut your hair, our little forbidden, passionate affair will be over."

Rochelle laughed, moving off his lap and sitting beside him once more. Sirius put his arm around her waist, and she rested her head on his shoulder. "Well, that would be a pity, considering it's barely begun."

Sirius smiled, but then his face turned a little more serious. "Have you, erm… told anyone? About us?"

Rochelle frowned, sensing the seriousness in his tone. She shifted slightly, feeling his arm tighten around her. She wasn't sure how to respond. She spoke slowly. "Other than Lily? No. Sirius, did you, um, did you expect that I would tell my parents?"

There was a pause, and Sirius looked down at Rochelle, her head resting on his shoulder. For the many years that Sirius had known Rochelle Vittori, he'd never thought she was beautiful. There were no obvious flaws on her face or anywhere else, but she wasn't a striking beauty the way Lily was. Rochelle wouldn't turn heads when she walked past. But as Sirius watched her breathe slowly, her blue-grey eyes looking up at him, he realized that there was a sort of regality about her. It was in her movements, in the way she held herself. It was a sort of quiet beauty or an unnoticed grace that you wouldn't notice unless you were looking for it. Sirius took a deep breath and nodded. "I hoped you would tell them."

Rochelle bit her lip nervously, unsure what to say. She felt like she'd disappointed him, somehow. But he had to understand; it wasn't as easy as he thought it was. "Sirius, I can't. I don't even want to imagine what they could do."

Sirius sighed. "_What _could they possibly do?"

"Well, at the very _least_, they'd cart me off to Beauxbatons and marry me off to some disgusting pureblood the moment I graduated. And they'd make your life miserable," Rochelle replied. It was an understatement. Rochelle did not doubt that her father was capable of murdering Sirius Black if he set his mind to it. The idea made her shudder.

"What do you plan to do, then? We can keep this a secret _now_, Rochelle, but people are bound to find out sooner or later," Sirius replied. "And whatever you might think, I don't just want you for a quick shag. I'm trying to look at things in the long-run."

The idea surprised Rochelle slightly. She knew that Sirius had feelings for her; he'd told her that he cared about her, and she could see in his eyes that she meant something to him. But they'd never confessed any sort of real feelings. "How long?" she asked softly. "Do you think we'll still be together after Hogwarts?"

"As long as you don't cut off any of your hair, I'm sure we'll be fine," Sirius replied lightly. "But that's not the point. How long are you going to stay there with them?"

Rochelle took a deep breath. "I can't leave them now. I know I'm seventeen, but they still have control over me. If they decided to send me to Beauxbatons or pull me out of school altogether, I wouldn't be able to do a thing. And I don't have anywhere to go. I know you'll say Lily, but I can't impose on her like that. She's a good friend, but we're not as close as you and Potter are."

Sirius frowned. "Then what _are _you going to do? Just stay there for the rest of your life? Become a Death Eater?"

Rochelle shook her head. "I'll finish the rest of this year at Hogwarts. And then, the day I graduate, I am going to walk out of that house for the last time. There will be _nothing _my parents can do to stop me."

Rochelle waited for his response, and Sirius nodded. He wasn't happy; he wanted Rochelle out of that house as soon as possible, away from all those Death Eaters where he couldn't protect her. But he had to admit that she had a point. Running now would be foolish and hasty. He smiled down at her, cupping her face in his hands and pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "I can't wait."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

**A/N – Merlin, I just SUCK at writing romance, don't I? To be honest, I'm not good at the soppy stuff. I like it more when there's a lot of angst, but this had to be done. Sorry for the long wait. School's started up again. I'll try to update, but I can't make any promises right now. **

**Opinions, criticism, whatever. Just hit me with 'em, yeah?**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

Rochelle Vittori sighed, as she spotted a group of third-year boys dueling in the courtyard during first period. She didn't have class, and she'd hoped to get straight to the library to start working on her Potions homework. As expected, her studies were taking a huge toll on her, although it was only the second week of school. But the Prefect badge shining on her school uniform wouldn't allow her to simply walk away.

"Stop it right now, or you'll all have detention for the rest of the month!" Rochelle insisted, walking up to them. She cast a Shield Charm to protect one of the boys from a badly aimed jinx, and all three boys whirled around to look at her. One had a completely swollen nose the size and color of a tomato.

The blonde-haired boy looked like he wanted to retort, but the other one grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Get to class, both of you," Rochelle ordered, and the two boys quickly scurried away. She sighed and turned to the one with the swollen nose. "Come on. We're going to the Hospital Wing."

Rochelle pulled the boy along with her and he followed silently, clutching his nose with one hand. Rochelle pushed the doors to the Hospital Wing open quickly and noticed that Madame Pomfrey was leaning over a patient on one of the beds, dabbing something on his face. She stood up when she heard the door open.

"Miss Vittori," she greeted, pleasantly. Then she looked down at the boy and sighed. "And Mr. Frost. Goodness me, Mrs. Frost, this is your second time in here, and school's barely just begun," Madame Pomfrey complained, forcing the boy to sit down on one of the beds. She was still holding a bowl of some liquid and a damp cloth in her hands. Frowning, she turned to Rochelle. "Miss Vittori, could I ask you to help Mr. Lupin with this while I heal Mr. Frost? I'm afraid the liquid will evaporate if I leave it for too long…"

Rochelle nodded, realizing suddenly that the boy on the bed was Remus Lupin. He looked pale and sickly and Rochelle noticed the large gashes on his face and arms. Concerned, she took the bowl of liquid and the cloth, and sat beside him.

Remus sat up slightly, and Rochelle started to dab the liquid onto the cuts on his bare arms. He hissed slightly from the pain, and she frowned. "Sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you."

Remus shook his head, smiling weakly. "it's all right. It hurts more when Madame Pomfrey does it, actually. Don't tell her I said that."

Rochelle smiled back, dabbing onto a particularly deep gash that ran down the side of Remus' neck. It seemed somehow familiar to her, and Rochelle remembered that she'd seen a similar one on Sirius before. "Hasn't anyone told Potter to get a new owl, yet?"

Remus looked at her blankly. "Sorry?"

"Sirius had a scratch like this once, before. He said that Potter's owl attacked him." The confused look on Remus' face was enough to tell Rochelle that he had no idea what she was talking about. "He was lying, wasn't he? I thought so then as well. What happened to you?"

Remus looked uncomfortable. "It's a long story."

Rochelle glanced at him, suspiciously, but she didn't ask questions. She had no doubt that there was more to Remus Lupin than met the eye. But everyone was entitled to their own secrets. Rochelle had plenty of her own, and she wasn't going to go prying into his business. Shrugging lightly, she pressed the damp cloth over the last of his wounds and then set it aside. "Well, as long as you lot haven't captured some sort of dangerous beast and locked in up in the Forest, I suppose it's none of my business," she joked lightly and then stood up. Remus continued to smile weakly at her.

"Thanks for the help. You'd really make a good Healer."

Rochelle stiffened slightly. Madame Pomfrey had said that to her, once before. To be honest, Rochelle had never considered career options because she never thought she'd have one. But since her plans for the future had changed rather drastically, she realized that she was going to have to start thinking about it. Rochelle certainly wasn't going to receive much of her inheritance once she left home. And she was taking all the subjects that she needed to become one…

"Oh, thank you so much, dear," Madame Pomfrey gushed, coming to take the things from Rochelle's hands. She looked down at Remus. "Well, Mr. Lupin, I think you're all right to leave now. Come back later tonight and I can check up on you once more."

Remus nodded and slowly walked out of the Hospital Wing. Rochelle watched him leave and then turned to the older woman, a thought suddenly striking her. "Madame Pomfrey?"

"Yes, Miss Vittori?"

"Last year, you said that you thought I could become a good Healer. Did you mean it?"

Madame Pomfrey looked pleasantly surprised. "Well yes, I did. You seem to have an extensive knowledge of medicine and judging by the fact that Mr. Lupin didn't yell out in pain, you're also very good at handling patients. Have you been considering it?"

Rochelle smiled. "Yes, I have."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle sat in a corner of the common room that evening, trying to finish her Charms homework before she had to go out on Prefect duty. Her schedule had been so full lately that the stress was starting to come down on her hard. She had no _idea_ how she was going to manage all these subjects for NEWTs! Why hadn't Professor Slughorn warned her that it would be so difficult? _Because he's a useless pig that sucks up to anybody with famous parents_, she thought irritably.

"No chance you can help us out with the Potions essay?" a voice asked. Rochelle glanced up and saw that Lucius Malfoy was standing before her, along with Rabastan Lestrange. She frowned.

Admittedly, Rochelle's relationship with her cousin at the moment was rather confusing. She knew that Lucius Malfoy had undoubtedly heard about whatever problems were taking place in the Vittori household. He knew she'd been caught eavesdropping on one of the Dark Lord's meetings, and that she'd disobeyed her parents and run off for a few days without their permission. But they hadn't spoken about it at all. The way he was smiling at her, everything seemed completely normal.

"I'm a little busy at the moment," Rochelle replied, with a sigh. She didn't want to be rude, but it was true. She barely had time for her own studies, much less helping out others. "I've got Prefect duty in ten minutes and I need to finish this. I'm sorry."

Rabastan frowned slightly, and Lucius merely narrowed his eyes. "You've been saying that a lot. Or are you just avoiding me?"

"Why would I avoid you, Lucius?"

"I don't know. You're the one doing it."

"I'm not avoiding you," Rochelle replied sharply, gathering up her books and closing her ink bottle. "I'm just busy. You would be too, if you were giving your studies half the attention they deserve."

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "I think you're giving your studies too _much _attention. Really, Rochelle, nobody cares how your grades are. None of your potential husbands are going to look at how many OWLs you have or how well you did on your NEWTs."

Rochelle gave him a dark look. "I see. And what _are _they going to look at? My inheritance? My blood status? I've already got those, Lucius, I was born with them. My studies are for myself. Now if you'll excuse me, I have duties to get to."

Lucius shook his head. "In a minute. There's something we should talk about-"

"Did you not hear me? _I don't have time,_" Rochelle hissed, grabbing all her things into her arms. She pushed past Lucius and Rabastan, running up to the girls dormitories.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Sirius was sitting cross-legged on the floor of the Gryffindor common room, polishing his broom. James Potter was curled up on a sofa near him in a fetal position, his head in Lily Evans' lap. At first glance he looked to be asleep, but James' eyes were wide open, staring into the fireplace gloomily. Sirius looked up at his friend.

"Mate, you've got to get over-"

"_Don't _tell me to get over it, Padfoot. This is probably the worst day of my life. I had such high hopes this year. I really thought we could win the Cup. And now it's all gone to ruins. All my dreams, shattered."

"Being a little melodramatic, aren't you?"

There was a dull silence, during which James only continued to stare at the fire once more while Lily comfortingly stroked his messy hair. The entrance to the Gryffindor common room opened, and Sirius saw Remus and Peter climb in through it. They both stopped abruptly when they noticed James curled up on the sofa.

"What's wrong with him?" Peter asked, sitting down.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "He's only being a baby because Quidditch try-outs were a complete nightmare. We have no Keeper."

"What do you mean, you have no Keeper?"

James sat up, his eyes blazing in anger. "_I'll _tell you what it means!It means that the Gryffindors this year are completely and utterly useless! There wasn't a single good person at try-outs today, not one! Most of those third-years had never been on a broom before in their lives! How am I supposed to win the Quidditch Cup if I don't even have a team?"

Remus frowned. "I don't understand. But there were so many people that signed up, you showed me the list yourself. How can none of them have been good?"

Neither James nor Sirius spoke. Lily sighed, and turned to look at Remus. "Apparently most of the people who signed up were fourth and fifth year girls who fancied these two. They couldn't actually play Quidditch. That's what you get for having such a notorious reputation around school."

"And the one girl who actually _was_ halfway decent at Quidditch, Sirius drove away," James complained.

Sirius narrowed his eyes. "I didn't _drive her away_, James-"

"You didn't have to tell her that you had a girlfriend! Why couldn't you just play along and tell her _after_ it was too late to quit? That way, we might at least have a Keeper!"

"Well, I'm sorry I wasn't thinking so far ahead! She was getting too close for comfort, so I thought it was better that she didn't get the wrong idea! Don't blame everything on me, James."

James sighed sadly. "You're right. I never imagined that my dashing good looks would actually cause me so many problems."

Lily rolled her eyes, looking like she wanted to laugh. "You poor baby. Well, I have to get going. I promised Marlene I would help her study for tomorrow's Transfiguration test. "

James pouted. "Don't go, I'm not done sulking."

"You can continue sulking tomorrow," Lily replied, kissing James on the cheek before getting up. She walked out of the common room, leaving the four boys sitting near the fire.

There were a few moments of silence, and then Remus spoke up. "I got my timetable for Prefect duty today."

James narrowed his eyes at him. "No offense, Moony, but I couldn't care less. I was made Quidditch captain _before _Head Boy."

"No, that's not it," Remus replied. "Usually, I get duty sometime during the full moon for a few months, and I ask someone to switch with me. Except this time, none of my duties for the next six months were anywhere _near_ a full moon. It was almost as if the person who made the schedule knew about me."

James sat up, frowning. "What, you think someone knows about your furry little problem? Remus, you're overreacting. Maybe it was Lily that drew up the schedules. She would have taken your monthly unavailability into account."

Remus shook his head. "No. I asked around, and one of the fifth-years told me that Rochelle was the one who did them, as always."

There was a pause, and three heads turned to look at Sirius Black accusingly. Sirius looked startled and shook his head, putting his hands up in an innocent gesture. "I didn't tell her! Mate, she doesn't even know I'm an Animagus, how would she know about you? It must be a coincidence."

Remus frowned doubtfully. "I don't know. Rochelle saw me in the Hospital Wing this morning. She didn't ask any questions, but I know that she looked suspicious. What if she's figured it out? It's possible that she noticed a pattern, she's in charge of the Prefect timetables after all."

"Do you want me to talk to her?" Sirius asked. "I planned to tell her about being an Animagus sooner or later, anyway. I'm just not sure how to go about it. Did you know that she hates dogs?"

James raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand you, Padfoot. How are you and Rochelle together? She hates dogs and she can't ride a broom. I like her, but she's so different from you, it's crazy."

Sirius shrugged. "Crazy. Sounds about right."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

**A/N – Just a bit of a filler. To be honest, it might take another chapter or two until the major drama starts to set in. But believe me, it will. **

**A reviewer mentioned that they had no idea what would happen to Rochelle after she graduates. I found that kind of interesting. Well, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure either. I'm playing around with a few different ideas in my head. I'd love to know if anyone has any suggestions, though! And killing her is not an option. Sorry folks, but this OC isn't ready to die just yet. **

**I want your opinions on Frederick Nott. Should I bring him back or are you people tired of him? I have an idea to bring him back, but I'm feeling rather iffy about it. **


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Sirius entered the Room of Requirement quietly, pulling the Cloak off of himself. Rochelle was already there, curled up on the rug in front of the fire in her favorite spot. She was running her fingers through the ends of her plait, while her eyes flickered across the pages of a book eagerly.

"You know, sometimes I think the easiest way to get your attention would be if I transfigured myself into a book."

Rochelle turned around and smiled at him, as he came and sat beside her. She closed the book and set it aside while curling up under Sirius's arm. He was always warm; she noted, and he held her tightly as if nothing could separate them. She closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the feeling of his arms around her, and then remembered that he'd said something. "Well, I don't know. You wouldn't make a very interesting book."

He raised his eyebrows, resting his cheek on her head. "Why not? I've got everything going. Drama, mystery, action, _romance_…"

Rochelle rolled her eyes. "You can't have all of those in one book. It would just be an overdose. And I hate to break it to you, but nobody likes a protagonist who thinks he's good at everything."

Sirius frowned. "But I _am _good at everything. Go on, Vittori, name one thing I can't do."

"Clearly you can't shut up."

Sirius laughed, as Rochelle curled up into him further, resting her head on his chest. Her knees were pulled up, grazing his thighs. He smiled down at her, as she closed her eyes contentedly. "Someone's being very cuddly tonight."

"I didn't think you were coming," she admitted, softly. "We've been here almost every night this week, you probably need your rest. Maybe you should go back to bed."

"And when are _you_ going to sleep?"

"I'm fine. I'm used to patrolling the corridors at night."

Sirius nodded, shifting slightly so that he was more comfortable. Rochelle stirred, but then put her head back onto his chest, her cheek pressing against his shirt. He was silent for a few moments, and he felt Rochelle's breathing start to even.

"Rochelle? Did you fall asleep?"

Rochelle shook her head, lifting it up so she could look at him. Her eyes were a little drowsy, but she was still awake. "Not yet. Sorry, I'm just tired. I was going to take a nap this evening, but I went to the Hospital Wing to talk to Madame Pomfrey. She asked me to come see her."

Sirius stiffened slightly. Did this have something to do with Remus? Surely Madame Pomfrey would never tell another student about Remus' condition, would she? He looked straight into her blue-grey eyes, trying to see if she knew something. "Oh? What for?"

"Well, Madame Pomfrey told me last year that she thought I would be a good Healer. I never considered it then, but I'm starting to think it's a good idea. She told me about the sort of qualifications I would need, and the skills that they're looking for. She even said that if I went down to the Hospital Wing and helped her in her free time, it would be experience for me and she could write me a recommendation after I left Hogwarts. She said that I'd certainly get a job, then."

Sirius smiled. "A Healer, eh? I can picture you doing that."

Rochelle glanced up at him, her eyes shining. "Do you really think so?"

"Of course."

She tilted her head up and kissed him softly on the mouth, smiling when he leaned forward and kissed her back. His lips captured hers gently, and Rochelle could feel the warmth spreading in her stomach, as it always did when he was around her. His grey eyes stared into her own as she pulled away, and Rochelle found herself speechless for a few moments.

"If I tell you that you'd make a great Healer, will you do that again?" Sirius asked, smiling cheekily. The spell was broken, and Rochelle rolled her eyes at him.

"Nice try, Black."

Sirius shrugged lightly. "I was hoping it would work. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you. I think it's time we discussed dogs."

Rochelle frowned slightly, looking confused. "I'm sorry? Dogs?"

Sirius nodded. "Dogs. What exactly is it that you don't like about them? Personally, I think they're wonderful. Loyal, fun to play with, and they love to have a good time."

Rochelle raised an eyebrow. "Is this necessary? Sirius, honestly, so what if your Patronus is a dog? It's not a _real _dog, I don't have to _like _him or anything."

"My Patronus might not be real. But there _is _a real dog in my life."

There was a pause, as Rochelle looked at him curiously. "You never told me you had a pet. Do you keep it at Potter's house? To be honest, I'm not sure if dogs are allowed at Hogwarts, most people keep cats."

Sirius sighed. "All right. Close your eyes."

"Close my eyes?"

Sirius nodded, sitting up straight and forcing Rochelle to lift her head off of his chest. She looked a little skeptical but closed her eyes when Sirius placed his hand over them. There was silence, a slight shifting noise, and then she felt a warm pressure on her leg. Opening her eyes, she looked down and saw a large, black paw.

She gasped. Rochelle's blue-grey eyes widened in shock as she scooted away from the big, shaggy black dog that was now sitting where Sirius had been moments ago. It cocked it's head slightly, watching her curiously. She paused, taking a deep breath and looked at the creature that Sirius had just turned into.

The dog took a slow step forward, and pushed its nose into Rochelle's hand. She flinched away slightly, but stopped herself and hesitantly patted the dog's nose. It's fur was soft, and the skin underneath was surprisingly warm. Rochelle forced herself to take a deep breath, and patted the dog again before removing her hand.

"Erm, all right. Can you just, erm… change back now?"

There was a short pause, as the black dog slowly transformed back into Sirius. Rochelle looked slightly relieved, and she saw that Sirius was staring down at her.

"What do you think?" he asked, grinning.

"What do I think? You're an Animagus! Is that even _legal_?" she demanded.

"Strictly speaking… no."

Rochelle rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to laugh. She should have known that Sirius and his friends were insane enough to try something like this. She wanted to scold him for being so stupid, but there was no point; they'd been doing it for goodness knows how long and they hadn't been caught yet. Perhaps they were smarter than Rochelle gave them credit for.

"And all your friends are involved in this too? Let me guess… Potter's Animagus is a stag. What about the other two?"

Sirius smiled down at her, relieved that she seemed to be taking it rather well. "Peter turns into a rat."

Rochelle made a face. "I see. And Remus?"

"Remus is a werewolf."

Rochelle blinked. "Oh. _Oh."_

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Well, is he dangerous? Does Professor Dumbledore know? Is that why he always skips Prefect duty around the full moon? And those gashes I saw on his skin…" Rochelle paused, her face paling. "He did that to _himself_? Oh, Sirius, that's _awful!_"

Sirius nodded, shrugging. "It is. And he's not dangerous, not really. You don't have to worry about anything."

Rochelle rolled her eyes, lifting a hand to press to his cheek. "The day I stop worrying about you is the day you stop doing stupid things like becoming an unregistered Animagus."

Sirius grinned cheekily. "So never, then?"

"Never."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle Vittori entered the Slytherin common room that evening, to find the entire house celebrating. Unlike what Rochelle knew about the Gryffindors, parties were not a very common occurrence in Slytherin. But her house had won the first match of the year against Ravenclaw earlier that afternoon by a whopping 200 points. There was loud music, shouting and somebody had clearly found some way to slip Firewhisky in, because many people looked rather drunk.

"This is insanity," Rochelle muttered, pushing past a few people and trying to get out. Before she could, though, someone grasped her arm to get her attention. Turning around, Rochelle saw a concerned Narcissa Black.

"Rochelle, are you all right?" Narcissa asked her. "Come join in, everyone's celebrating! Didn't you watch the match?"

Rochelle shook her head. "No, I was busy. Narcissa, I'm sorry, I have to go, I-"

She was interrupted by Lucius Malfoy walking up to them, and slipping his arm around Narcissa. He looked flushed, and there was a huge smile on his face. "Narcissa, come dance! Rochelle, is that you? Well, it's about time you got here! Come on, join us!"

Rochelle shook her head firmly. "I can't."

Lucius raised an eyebrow, irritated. "Really? Can't you just stop studying for _one _night and celebrate with us? Bloody hell, are you a Slytherin or not? You weren't even at the match!"

Rochelle frowned. "Of _course _I'm a Slytherin, I just-"

"Well, come greet the team, at least! Did you know Rabastan scored 120 points all by himself today? You could at least congratulate him instead of being so insensitive!" Lucius replied. Rochelle frowned, but she didn't have much choice. She decided to congratulate a few people and then leave the first chance she got. Narcissa pulled her along to the other side of the common room, where Rabastan Lestrange was standing with a few other teammates. He smiled pleasantly when he saw her.

"Rochelle! There you are! Drink?"

Rochelle shook her head. Rabastan looked a little pink in the face, but he wasn't quite drunk yet. His brown hair that curled slightly at the ends, was messy and unkempt. He ran a hand through it self-consciously. "Sorry, I didn't think you were coming," Rabastan admitted, smiling. "I didn't see you at the match."

"I couldn't make it," Rochelle replied, forcing herself to smile back. "But, um, I heard that you played really well. Congratulations on all those points."

Rabastan was about to reply, but another team member grabbed him by the arm and tugged him. "Rabastan, come along, we're just about to start… oh, sorry. I didn't notice your girlfriend, there. Never mind, carry on. You _deserve_ some action tonight after the way you played those shots!" The boy winked at Rabastan and then let go of his arm, leaving. Rochelle felt slightly irritated, while Rabastan merely resumed running his hands though his hair.

"Sorry about that, he doesn't know, I mean…"

"It's all right. I should go now, I'll see you around," Rochelle replied.

Rabastan frowned. "Already? Can't you stay a while?"

"Sorry, I'm meeting someone at the library."

Rabastan bit his lip, before grabbing Rochelle's arm and leading her away from the huge crowd of students. She followed him to a more empty and secluded corner of the common room, where they could at least hear each other speak properly. "There's something we should talk about," Rabastan said, running his hands through his hair once more. Rochelle raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"Yes. I've been meaning to tell you for a while now, I just wasn't sure how to do it, and-"

"Hey Rabastan! If you're going to snog your girlfriend, go upstairs, mate!" a voice yelled out from the crowd, accompanied by jeers and laughter. Rochelle made a face. She was tired of this; the atmosphere was suffocating her.

"Shut up!" Rabastan yelled back at his teammate, but Rochelle was already starting to walk away.

"I need to go, and I think you should get back to your friends," she muttered. "I'm sure whatever it is can wait, we'll talk tomorrow."

Rabastan nodded, doubtfully, and watched silently as Rochelle shoved past a few people and quickly exited the common room.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Sirius frowned down at his Defense Against the Dark Arts essay. He'd taken to spending that evening studying with Lily, Rochelle and Remus. Normally, he would never agree to spending an entire evening in the library with two Prefects and a Head Girl. But James was acting like a child, and he would continue to do so until Gryffindor found a Keeper for the team. Peter was probably having hell with him at the moment.

"-I've _never _gotten a grade this awful, I don't know what I'm going to do!" Rochelle was whispering to Lily across the table. "It's not like I can drop the subject, I need it if I'm going to become a Healer! But I just haven't had time to do _anything_, lately! I'm barely getting any sleep."

Lily smiled sympathetically at her friend. Sirius glanced at them both, trying to remember what part of the conversation he'd missed. A quick glance at the essay parchment in front of Rochelle told him that she'd gotten an 'Acceptable' on her last Transfiguration assignment. So _that _was why she was so upset.

"Rochelle, it'll be all right," Lily assured her. "If you're having trouble keeping up with your subjects, why don't you talk to Professor Slughorn? Maybe he can help you decide what to do, and if you want to drop something at this point of time."

Rochelle scoffed. "Please. Professor Slughorn? He's useless at this sort of thing."

"Talk to Professor McGonagall, then. She was really sweet with helping me decide what subjects I wanted last year. I'm sure she'll be willing to help you."

Rochelle nodded, as Sirius glanced at her paper once more and spoke. "I don't see what the problem is. You _passed, _didn't you?"

Three heads turned to glare at him disbelievingly. He rolled his eyes, and looked back down at his essay. "All right, sorry I said anything…"

Rochelle cracked a small smile at him, before closing her books. She started to stuff them into her bag, and cast a dirty look towards her graded Transfiguration paper before roughly shoving it in as well. "Well, I should get going. Lucius wanted help picking out a birthday present for Narcissa, and I've been putting it off since forever. He'll be furious if I don't show up even today."

Sirius paused, putting down his quill. "Do you want me to walk with you?"

Rochelle sighed, and shook her head. "That's all right. We might be seen. I'll see you all tomorrow."

Sirius watched Rochelle leave, before slowly closing his books as well. It was time he talked to James; the issue of their Quidditch team not having a Keeper was becoming more serious as their match with Hufflepuff rapidly approached. If they didn't have anyone to play, they might have to forfeit. _Gryffindor forfeiting to Hufflepuff_, Sirius thought drily. _We might make Hogwarts history._

He slipped into the Gryffindor common room alone, noticing James and Peter sitting at their usual spot by the fire. Both Peter and James were smiling. Surprised, Sirius sat down with them.

"Judging by the smile on your face, you found us a Keeper," he commented.

"I did."


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

**(3 Months Later) **

"How about tomorrow night?" Rochelle asked Sirius, quietly. They were curled up in the Room of Requirement again, talking. It was becoming rather exhausting for both of them, considering the only time they really got to spend together was at night. "I'm not busy."

"Quidditch practice," Sirius replied, frowning. "Debbie asked for an extra practice session; she's still not confident about playing Slytherin next term and we break for Christmas in two days."

Rochelle frowned, tightening the hand that was holding Sirius'. Debbie, as she was fondly called, was the new Gryffindor Keeper. She was a spunky fifth year, who talked loudly and enjoyed jokes and laughter just as much as the Marauders did. Admittedly, she was a little clumsy, which was why she needed the extra practice. "You've had practice almost every day this week."

"I know. I can't help it. I'm exhausted too."

Rochelle looked up at Sirius, smiling when his grey eyes met hers. Although it was tiring, and a lot of effort, every moment that she spent with Sirius was worth it. It was almost odd how dependent she was on him. It had been four months since they'd started their relationship, but Rochelle still felt the same rush of adrenaline whenever he looked at her with those passionate grey eyes, or said something with his cheeky smile.

"Are you going home for Christmas?" Rochelle asked softly.

Sirius shrugged. "I suppose. I went to the Potters' last year and before that. Are you planning on staying? I don't mind keeping you company. Maybe we'll finally get to spend some time together."

Rochelle shook her head. The idea of spending Christmas at Hogwarts with Sirius was tempting, but it wasn't possible. "Mother wrote me to come home. It's the first letter I've received from her all year."

Sirius glanced down at Rochelle, and saw the she was staring sadly at the carpet. Rochelle hadn't spoken to her family in months, and although she tried to hide it, Sirius could see how much it was affecting her. She was used to getting letters and packages from home all the time. Now, it was as though her family had forgotten she existed. "Are you all right?"

Rochelle nodded. "I'm fine. I just miss them a little."

Sirius frowned. He couldn't understand why she still seemed to cling onto her parents. Rochelle rarely talked about them to him, mainly because she knew that he wouldn't understand. Sirius had left his family and never looked back. He bit his lip, and looked down at her. "Still? After everything?"

Rochelle sighed. "They're my parents, Sirius. It's odd not writing to my Mother about everything that happens in school. I'm just not used to it yet."

"Do you regret deciding to leave them?" he asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Rochelle looked up at him in shock. "What? _No. _I don't regret anything, Sirius. I'm just having trouble adjusting, that's all. It's a scary thought, knowing that I'm on my own. That they're not there to protect me from everything."

Sirius frowned. "You're _not _on your own. You have me."

Rochelle looked up at him. It seemed to her that Sirius got extremely uncomfortable and defensive whenever Rochelle talked about her parents. It was almost as if he was expecting her to announce that she would be going back to them, and that she'd changed her mind about everything. She had no idea how to reassure him that she wasn't going anywhere.

"I know I have you. You gave me the strength to make the right choice, I'll always be grateful to you for that," she replied honestly.

Sirius brightened up a little. "Eternal gratitude, eh? I rather like the sound of that."

"Shut up."

"No, really. How do you intend to make it up to me?"

"How about I _don't _smack that grin off your face?"

"I'd rather you kissed it off."

Rochelle rolled her eyes playfully, and leaned up to kiss him. Sirius' arms tightened around her, and the heat spread up her body. Her eyes fluttered closed as he pulled her into his lap. She could feel the stubble on his cheeks brushing against her face, and she pulled away, giggling.

"What?" Sirius demanded.

"You need to shave," Rochelle replied, running her hand down his cheek. He caught her fingers in his, and brought them up to his lips slowly. He placed butterfly kisses on her fingertips, smiling.

"You don't like the rugged, handsome look?" he challenged. "I think it rather suits me. Debbie thinks it looks good. She said so."

Rochelle raised an eyebrow. "Oh she did, did she?"

"Are you jealous?"

Rochelle rolled her eyes. To be honest, she'd never met Debbie personally. But although the clumsy, athletic girl seemed like a sweet person, she wasn't the type to inspire jealousy in anyone. As a matter of fact, Lily seemed to think that Gryffindor's new Keeper fancied James, and not Sirius. "I think you _want _me to be jealous."

"I've never had girls fight over me before," Sirius replied cheekily. "It seems like it might be fun."

"I'm not fighting with _anyone _over you, especially not a fifth year Gryffindor. And Lily thinks she fancies James."

Sirius shrugged. "Not really. Debbie looks up to him, though. Head Boy, Gryffindor Quidditch Captain; the bloody arse is turning into a bit of a role model for the younger students. Forget them. Where were we?"

"We were talking about you needing to shave."

"_Before_ that, genius."

Rochelle laughed, as Sirius pulled her lips down to meet his again.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Gemma Prince shook Rochelle awake on Saturday morning.

"Rochelle, get up! It's Saturday, remember? Hogsmeade weekend! You promised that you'd come help me pick out a pair of shoes for that dress my Mum gifted me!"

Rochelle sat up, and blinked at Gemma. She had promised that? Rochelle couldn't remember doing anything of the sort, and she shook her head, before pushing it back into the pillow. "After a while."

"You have fifteen minutes to get dressed. I'll be waiting for you in the Great Hall."

Rochelle sighed, and tugged herself out of bed sleepily. She got dressed slowly, and trudged down to the Slytherin common room. It was just past 9 o' clock, and most students had already headed down for a late breakfast. Rochelle noticed Lucius sitting alone in a corner, reading the Daily Prophet.

"Morning, Rochelle," he greeted, folding the paper. Rochelle nodded back sleepily, before the headline caught her eye. Blinking, she took the paper from Lucius.

"Another Muggle attack? This is the second one this week!" Rochelle cried, as she flipped open the Prophet to read the entire story. The sight of it made her feel slightly sick. She glanced up at Lucius, whose expression was made of stone.

"It is."

Rochelle narrowed her eyes at him. "They're occurring more regularly. Any reason?"

Lucius frowned. Rochelle never talked about the fact that he was a Death Eater. It often seemed like she was trying to forget. He shrugged. "I don't know. I'm not involved in the planning. I get orders and I follow them."

There was a pause, and Rochelle looked up from the paper. "Have you ever…"

Lucius wasn't sure what she was trying to say. _Have you ever been behind one of the attacks?_ Or was it _Have you ever killed a Muggle?_ It didn't matter, not really. The answer to them both was the same. She probably knew it as well. "Yes."

"When?" she asked, softly.

"A few times. My first was the night of July 23rd."

Rochelle's stomach lurched. She'd been there that night. It was the night she went to a movie with Lily, James and Sirius. Sirius had hid them both in an abandoned store, and they'd managed to escape unscathed. "Oh. The one in Ambleside."

Lucius gave her a sharp look. "I'm surprised you remember. Do you keep a track of all the Muggle attacks that take place in England?"

Rochelle shook her head, sourly. "No. It would be a difficult task. I'm sure even the Dark Lord can't count them all."

"Well, yes. The attack in Ambleside was the first time I actually joined in. If you must know, it wasn't supposed to be there. The attack was scheduled to be in Aylestone. Two miles away from Cokeworth, if you were wondering."

Rochelle gave him a sharp look. "Why would it matter to me?"

Lucius rolled his eyes. "You can stop acting, Rochelle. Do you take me for an idiot? I know you were at Lily Evans's home that night. Funny, your mother seemed to think the girl was a half-blood. I convinced Father that we should go to a bigger town, so that you wouldn't get hurt."

Rochelle's eyes widened. "You _told _him that I was at Lily's?"

"No. I simply said that Aylestone was a very sparsely populated town, and that we should go somewhere bigger. You're lucky that he didn't ask many questions. To be honest, the Dark Lord was rather pleased with my suggestion. No thanks is necessary."

Rochelle gave him a dirty look. "I'm supposed to _thank _you for murdering innocent Muggles?"

"No, you're supposed to thank me for keeping your bloody secret and saving your little Mudblood friend's arse," Lucius snapped. "But I can see that gratitude is something that seems to evade you, recently. You might have abandoned your family, Rochelle, but there are people who still care about you."

"If your idea of _caring _is simply shifting the location of where you torture innocent Muggles, you can see why I'm not particularly feeling the love."

Lucius stood up, getting ready to leave. "The time is coming, Rochelle. You can't hide. I suggest that you take the first offer of protection you get, otherwise you'll find yourself in a very dangerous place."

He walked away, and Rochelle glared after him, her fingers scrunching the Daily Prophet into a paper ball.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle sat with Sirius on the train ride home for Christmas. Lily and James were in a separate compartment, and both Remus and Peter were staying at Hogwarts. The train ride was long, and Sirius was silent for most of it. Rochelle knew that he didn't like the idea of her going home. But she had no choice. Admittedly, her relationship with her parents was strained but not completely broken off. She didn't want to do anything that might make them suspect her. Although her time at Hogwarts was slowly coming to an end, it still wasn't too late to change schools or for her parents to decide to drop her education entirely.

"Is someone coming to pick you up?" Sirius asked, as he helped her lift her trunk off the train. They stood on the platform, and Rochelle glanced around.

"Yes. I see Dipsy, she's right over there."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Your house elf comes to pick you up?"

"Why not?"

He shrugged lightly, before glancing at the house elf that was starting to make it's way over to them. Sirius turned back to Rochelle, his grey eyes looking worried. "You'll write, won't you?"

"Of course."

He nodded, pulling her close and kissing her lightly on the lips. Horrified, Rochelle quickly wriggled out of his grasp, and glared at him. "Are you _crazy_? Someone could have seen that! You can't kiss me in front of my family's elf!"

Sirius glanced back at Dipsy, who was watching them both with an open mouth. The little house elf looked horrified that she had just seen an unknown man kiss her mistress in public. He rolled his eyes. "So? It's an elf. You tell it to keep its mouth shut. _Write_, won't you?"

"Yes," Rochelle replied, a little disgruntled. She couldn't believe how careless Sirius had been. Was he _trying_ to get them caught? She watched him walk away, and then allowed Dipsy to take her luggage. Rochelle took a deep breath.

She was going home.

**A/N – Sorry these updates took forever. I've been busy. I can't promise when the next chapter will be up, but I hope it'll be soon. I'm trying my best. **

**I know, it's a little boring. But I have a bit of drama planned coming up. The 'Hogwarts' section in this story will end in the next few chapters, and I'll be moving on to what happens when everyone gets out of school. **

**Review! Let me know what you think! Suggestions are welcome. I'm a little stuck on ideas here. **


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

"Would miss like to wear the green dress or the peach one?" Dipsy asked, holding up the two elegant gowns. Rochelle was sitting on her bed, staring blankly at the walls. She'd only gotten home a few hours ago, but it turned out that there was a dinner party scheduled for that night. A few important families were coming over, including the Malfoys, the Lestranges, the Blacks and the Notts. _Death Eaters_, was Rochelle's only thought. _It's a Death Eater gathering and I'm right in the middle of it. _

"Green may be more appropriate, considering the occasion," Rochelle replied drily. Besides, she'd worn the peach one before. Cassandra Vittori would have a fit if her daughter was seen wearing the same dress twice in public. Rochelle's mother had greeted her politely once she got home, and told her to go upstairs and get dressed for the dinner party. Some welcome.

"And for jewellery, miss?"

Rochelle sighed. She didn't _want_ to think about jewellery. Grabbing the box in which all her jewellery was kept, she extracted a pair of silver earrings and the hairclip which Sirius had gifted her. She smiled. Perhaps wearing it would give her some comfort tonight. She set them down beside the dress, when there was a knock at her door.

"Come in," Rochelle called. The door to her room swung open slowly, and Alfred Vittori stepped inside. He was wearing smart dress robes. His back was stiff and his expression frozen as he smiled at her.

"Aren't you dressed, yet? Our guests have started to arrive," Alfred told his daughter. He sounded neither angry nor concerned; if anything, his voice was rather emotionless. Rochelle was still sitting on the bed, in a loose t-shirt and Muggle pants. She forced a smile at her father.

"I'll only be a few minutes," she assured him. She expected him to leave but he simply stood there, looking as though he wanted to say something. "Is everything all right, Father?"

Alfred Vittori looked conflicted. He shook his head, and glanced at the dress that was lying on the bed. "No. It's just nice to have you and Royce back home this holiday. Hopefully we can all put this summer behind us. It wasn't the best time for our family, but we can get past it."

_I highly doubt we can just 'get past it',_ Rochelle thought, coldly. She gave him another fake smile. "Of course, Father."

Alfred nodded, his eyes still fixed on the dress that was lying on her bed. His expression seemed to falter for a moment, and shock flitted through his eyes as he first glanced at Rochelle and then back at the dress. Rochelle froze. What was he thinking?

"Where did you get that pin?" Alfred asked, slowly. His tone was almost dangerous. Rochelle's cool demeanor slipped, and she glanced at the hairpin as well.

"T-the pin? I… I don't remember. I think I bought it. In Hogsmeade."

Rochelle flinched at the dark look that her father gave her. He took a deep breath, and then turned around and walked towards her door. "Get dressed," he said curtly, before slamming the door shut behind him.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Lucius Malfoy was standing near the foot of the stairs with his betrothed, Narcissa Black, at the Vittori mansion. Narcissa was dressed in an elegant pale pink dress, her hair curled back. Lucius was conversing lightly with his beautiful fiancée, when he glanced up and saw that his cousin, Rochelle was coming down the stairs.

Rochelle Vittori had grown drastically in the past year. While she had always been a graceful girl, the figure that walked down the stairs was now a confident woman. While the change was positive in most ways, Lucius couldn't help but frown. He'd liked the old Rochelle much better than he did now.

"Narcissa, Lucius," Rochelle greeted politely, once she saw them. Lucius smiled at his cousin, and Narcissa exchanged pleasantries with her. He glanced towards his parents as the two girls asked after each other's well-being.

"You're looking very smart tonight, Lucius," Rochelle complimented. "The two of you look as pretty as a picture, together."

Narcissa smiled, and returned the compliment. Lucius nodded. He had to admit that Rochelle did look very well-dressed. Her gown was a flattering emerald green, a colour that suited her. Two long silver earrings dangled from her ears, and the front of her hair was pinned back with a-

"_What are you doing?_" Lucius Malfoy hissed, suddenly. Both girls turned to look at him in shock. The conversation had been very pleasant until that moment, and neither of them could see the reason for Lucius's change in tone. "Are you mad? Do you want to get yourself killed?"

Rochelle looked startled. "I have no idea what you are talking about, Lucius."

Lucius took a deep breath, realizing that he had reacted too harshly. He forced a smile, and turned to his betrothed. "Narcissa, would you allow me a moment alone with my cousin? We'll only be a minute."

Narcissa agreed, and Lucius grabbed a hold of Rochelle's arm, pulling her away from the room of dinner guests. They slipped into the kitchen, where a few house elves turned to look at them, bewildered. Lucius paid them no mind. He whirled around to face Rochelle. "This was a stupid idea, Rochelle. What possessed you to wear that hairpin? Do you think you're being _clever_, or that nobody would notice? Did you steal it back?"

"This is about the hairpin?" Rochelle demanded. She blinked at him, having no idea what was going on. "Lucius, what do you know about it? Even my _father _seemed to recognize it and I can't think why! I've never worn it in front of him before!"

Lucius pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. "You mean you don't know?"

Rochelle frowned. "No, I have no clue. Would you please explain to me when you saw this hairpin?"

"July 23rd, Ambleside," Lucius replied, drily.

"_What?"_

"The night of my first Muggle attack," Lucius began, slowly. "My father and another Death Eater had apparated onto the top of the bridge, when they saw a girl and a boy with a wand, running. My father recognized you immediately, Rochelle. He couldn't place the boy, but upon repeating the description to someone else, he was told that it could be Sirius Black, or his younger brother. Obviously, the former is more possible, since Regulus Black was with the Death Eaters that night."

Rochelle froze, and her body felt numb. She'd been _recognized_? How had she not known? Who else knew that she was with Sirius that night?

"Lucius-"

"No, let me tell you the entire story. Father tried to lead the other Death Eater away from you, but he was persistent. They followed you into an old abandoned store, as you very well know, and they found that hairpin on the floor. Father picked it up before they both left, and brought it back."

Rochelle stared at him. "That's not possible. I've had the hairpin with me all this time."

"No, you haven't. Father brought it back that night, and showed it to a few Death Eaters. He even brought it to me, in the hopes that I might recognize it. I couldn't, and neither could Aunt Cassandra. He was forced to conclude that he'd been mistaken, and that the girl wasn't really you. Uncle Alfred begged my father to keep the matter silent and not tell anyone of his suspicions."

"There only one problem," Rochelle hissed. "_I never lost the pin._"

"Well, my Father did. He kept it in his study with the intention of casting some spells on it afterwards, but it was gone in the morning. He was forced to conclude that it had been stolen."

Rochelle stared at him. Was he telling the truth? The story was so absurd, and yet it sent chills down her spine. Did that mean her entire family suspected what she had done that night? Rochelle couldn't resist a shudder. The thought that her father knew that she'd been with Sirius, and yet hadn't said anything…

There was the sound of footsteps, and Cassandra Vittori appeared in the kitchen. She seemed a little surprised to see Lucius and Rochelle. "Well, why are the two of you hiding here? Lucius, your father was looking for you."

Lucius nodded and walked out of the kitchen, quietly.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle's evening seemed to stretch on for hours. She sat at the dinner table silently, not having the will to make polite conversation with the people sitting near her. There were a number of emotions going through her brain, and the foremost was fear.

Why hadn't her father said anything? He'd come running to the school at the slightest thought that Rochelle had been with Sirius, and now that he had proof, he chose not to react? It made no sense to Rochelle, and she was scared. What did it mean? She didn't even want to think of the implications it would have. Once all the guests were gone, would he announce that she was being sent to Beauxbatons?

"Are you feeling all right, Rochelle?" Royce asked her, from across the table. Her brother looked concerned, and Carmella was sitting right beside him, with a large, fake smile. According to Royce, she didn't enjoy these gatherings much because she often felt as though people were mocking her poor English. "You look rather pale."

"I'm fine," Rochelle assured him. He nodded, unconvinced, and then turned to whisper something in Carmella's ear. She giggled, and they both smiled at each other. They were playing the part of a newly-wed pureblood couple exceedingly well. Whereas Rochelle had always thought that their relationship was sweet, it made her feel nauseous now. She turned away, as the house elves came to clear away the dinner plates.

Alfred Vittori ignored Rochelle for the entire dinner. He didn't say a single word to his daughter. Rochelle sat stiffly in her chair. People laughed and chatted around her, but Rochelle wanted to disappear. She thought of Sirius, and how they'd spent every night curled up in the Room of Requirement, just talking and kissing. She longed to be with him.

The men gathered in the sitting room to talk, and Rochelle was left with only a few children and middle-aged women who were too busy gossiping among themselves to bother with her. She moved to a corner of the room, and was surprised when Carmella followed her.

"I know how it is," she said, softly, in her strong Italian accent. Rochelle looked up at her sister-in-law in surprise. Although Rochelle liked Carmella, they'd never had an opportunity to talk much. Royce had moved out after his marriage, and Rochelle had gone to school.

"I'm sorry? Know how what is?" Rochelle asked. She didn't mean to be rude, but she was in no mood for idle gossip.

"Love."

Rochelle froze, and slowly turned to look at Carmella. The older girl wasn't joking. She was smiling sadly at Rochelle, and there was something in her eyes that hinted sympathy.

"I don't understand," Rochelle replied.

"There was a boy, in Milan. Enrico. He live near my house."

Rochelle stared at Carmella, surprised. She'd never even considered that her sister-in-law might have had a lover before she was betrothed to Royce. Thoughts began flitting though Rochelle's mind. Had Carmella been forced into her engagement?

"Oh," Rochelle replied, slowly. "Does, um… does Royce know?"

Carmella frowned and shook her head. "No. I never tell anyone. Not even my sisters. He was a Muggle."

Rochelle stared in horror at Carmella. She'd been in love with a _Muggle_? The shock seemed to show clearly on Rochelle's face, because Carmella hurried to make her meaning clear.

"No, I… I love Royce. He is a good husband. Very kind. But I still think about Enrico. I do not… erm, _regret_ marrying your brother. But I can never love him as I loved Enrico."

Rochelle eyed Carmella in surprise. "What makes you think _I _love someone?"

"I hear Royce talking to your father. They think you have a lover. The boy who ran away? Is it true? I will not tell them, Rochelle. You know my secret. Trust me with yours."

Rochelle looked up at Carmella. "Yes, it's true," she whispered softly.

"Do not feel shame."

"I'm not ashamed."

Carmella nodded. "Good. They are planning a betrothal for you. You must be strong. Do what you want, not what your parents want for you."

Rochelle raised an eyebrow. "But that's not what you did. You married my brother. Why didn't you run away with Enrico, and do what you wanted?"

Carmella frowned. "Enrico is dead."

Rochelle stared. "Oh. I'm sorry."

" Go, Rochelle. Love does not come again and again. When you find it, you must keep it. Do not waste your time where you are not happy."

Rochelle took a deep breath. She could feel tears stinging her eyes, and she wasn't sure why. Although Carmella was not fluent with her words, she was right. Rochelle didn't want to waste her time sitting in this stuffy room with a family that was looking to get rid of her at the first possible opportunity. Rochelle turned to her sister-in-law.

"Will you help me?"

"Of course."

The night, Rochelle apparated to James Potter's house.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

**A/N – Phew! I managed to get another one up. Hope you guys like it. I'm not sure about the last part. I just realized that Carmella was such a stereotype character that I wanted to give her a little bit of a backstory. Let me know if you think it's cliché. I just thought Rochelle needed **_**somebody**_** at home that was on her side. And I snuck in Lucius's POV too. **

**You know what's funny? When I planned this story out, there was no hairpin. It was just a spontaneous addition in the beginning, I didn't intend for it to amount to anything. But now, the hairpin seems to have a story of it's own! Just goes to say; don't always stick to the planned story line. And yes, you'll be seeing more of that particular piece of jewellery. **

**Let me know what you think! Review! **


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

Rochelle stood outside what she assumed to be the Potter house, and took a deep breath. It was a nice place, and the Potters were clearly well-off. Biting her lip, she reached up and knocked on the door.

A few moments later, a tall middle-aged woman opened the door. Her resemblance to James Potter was striking, and Rochelle had no doubt that this was his mother. The woman looked confused, but forced a smile. It was quite late for strangers to be knocking at the door. "May I help you, dear?"

Rochelle smiled, trying to be polite. She wanted to see Sirius desperately, but she forced herself to calm down. "Mrs. Potter? I'm so sorry to disturb you at this time, I was just hoping to talk to Sirius, if he's here."

Mrs. Potter looked even more surprised. "Sirius? Well, whatever could- but oh! Of course, are you Rochelle?"

Rochelle nodded, doubtfully. "Erm, yes."

Mrs. Potter smiled. "Oh, Sirius talks about you all the time! Come in, dear, it's freezing outside and you look quite pale. Is everything all right? Did you come all the way here alone? I remember seeing those boys in the living room just a few moments ago… Sirius! Come here, will you?"

Mrs. Potter had a loud voice, and Rochelle had to refrain from flinching as the woman yelled into the next room. She stepped into the warm house, however, and rubbed her hands together. Mrs. Potter led her into the next room, where James Potter and Sirius Black were sitting on the couch, watching something on a Muggle television.

"Yes, Mrs. Potter?" Sirius asked, glancing away from the television. His eyes widened when he saw a slightly shivering Rochelle behind her. He stood up, looking worried. "Rochelle? What are you doing here?"

"Well, is that any way to greet the poor girl? She's been out in that chill for goodness knows how long," Mrs. Potter scolded Sirius. She turned to smile at Rochelle, kindly. "Why don't you sit down by the fire, dear?"

Rochelle shook her head. "That's very kind of you, Mrs. Potter, but I can't stay long. I really just needed to talk to Sirius about something," she replied. She turned and shot Sirius a meaningful look. He nodded quickly.

"Could we go upstairs to my room, Mrs. Potter?" he asked quickly, stepping closer to Rochelle. He smiled at the older woman. "No funny business, you can trust me."

Mrs. Potter raised an eyebrow. "I've learned quite well not to trust you, Sirius. But since Rochelle seems like a very responsible girl, I suppose you may. Really dear, I don't know what such sweet girls as you and Lily are doing with my boys."

Rochelle smiled politely, but before she could respond, Sirius had taken Rochelle's hand and started leading her upstairs. They stopped outside one of the doors, and Sirius pulled her inside before closing it behind him.

Sirius Black's room was a mess. Rochelle hadn't expected it to be particularly neat, but she was greeted with clothes, crumpled papers and random objects strewn everywhere. The walls were still covered in posters, but there weren't as many as Rochelle had expected. As he'd said, he must have left most of his old ones at the Black house.

"It looks like a storm hit it," Rochelle commented, unable to resist a smile. Sirius shrugged lightly, kicking aside some dirty laundry.

"I might have cleaned a bit if I'd known you were coming. What happened? Is everything all right?" Sirius asked, concerned. "You look pale."

Rochelle frowned, as she remembered why she'd come. Looking up at Sirius, she felt as though her voice would crack if she said something. "I don't know. I'm sorry for turning up like this. I just wanted to see you."

Sirius stepped over a broomstick kit lying on the floor, and stood in front of Rochelle a moment, before pulling her into his arms. Rochelle held on tightly to him, the feel of his comforting embrace bringing tears to her eyes. She blinked them away quickly, feeling stupid for crying. Sirius rubbed a hand up and down her back softly.

"Are you crying? Rochelle, what happened? You wouldn't just come here for nothing, talk to me."

Rochelle looked up into Sirius's grey eyes. She could see that he was worried about her, and the emotion in his eyes made her feel warm inside. She was tired of the cold, expressionless faces she'd been looking at all day at home. She took a deep breath. "My father knows about us."

Sirius's grip around her slackened for a moment, and then it returned, tighter than before. Rochelle was pressed into his chest, but she didn't mind. She just wanted to be near him. "Who told him?" Sirius asked, quietly.

Rochelle sat down on Sirius' bed, and she told him the story of how her father had reacted when he saw the hairpin, and what Lucius had said about it. He listened quietly, holding her in his arms as she blurted out everything. There was a pause, and then Sirius spoke.

"It makes sense."

Rochelle looked up at him in surprise. She hadn't understood most of what she'd said, herself. "It does?"

Sirius nodded. "Yes. When I bought the clip, the salesman told me that he'd cast a charm to prevent the owner from losing it. So if you leave the hairpin somewhere, or someone steals it, then it returns back to the owner automatically after a certain period of time."

Rochelle stared at him. "Why didn't you _tell _me about this before?"

"I'm sorry, it must have slipped my mind."

"That explains why the pin keeps turning up wherever I go. So then I _did _drop the hairclip in that abandoned store and Uncle Abraxas found it? But it must have returned to me later that night, which was why I never noticed that it was gone."

Sirius nodded. "I suppose."

Rochelle sank back into the bed, her face covering her arms before she let out a loud groan. "I'm an idiot. I'm such an idiot, I can't believe I just let the pin _fall-"_

"Don't say that," Sirius told her sternly. "We were running from Death Eaters, you couldn't possibly have noticed. But that's not the problem. What's your father going to do now that he knows?"

Rochelle bit her lip, looking up at Sirius. "I don't know. Sirius, I'm scared. He hasn't said anything to me all night, and now he has proof that I… I don't know what he'll do, I have _no idea_. I'm terrified that he might try to hurt you."

Sirius sighed, stroking Rochelle's back once more. "You're worried about _me_? Rochelle, you realize that you're the one living in the same house as him?"

"He wouldn't hurt me. He might be angry, but I don't think Mother or Royce would let him harm me. I'm more worried about you. Sirius, us being together it putting you in danger. I couldn't bear it if something happened. I think-"

"Don't say it," Sirius growled. His grip on her arms tightened, and he forced her to look into his eyes. "Don't say it, Rochelle. I know what you're thinking. I'm not going to leave you, just because you think that your father might try something. I'm not scared of him."

"But I am," Rochelle whispered, softly. "I don't know what he's capable of. And I'm not asking you to leave me, Sirius. But you need to know the kind of risk you're putting yourself in. He's not some regular protective father, he's a Death Eater."

Sirius nodded. "I know."

"He'll hurt you. And then he'll have me married off to one of those horrible Death Eaters, and-"

"No, he won't. He can't force you to marry anyone, that's against the law. The only way he could have you married to someone is if you consented to it."

Rochelle looked up at Sirius. She couldn't believe what she was saying, but the words came tumbling out of her mouth anyway. She knew that they were true. "I would never marry somebody that wasn't you."

Sirius's eyes brightened for a moment, and he pulled her face closer to his. "Do you mean that?"

"Yes, I do. If I'm going to marry anyone, it's you Sirius. And I know it's far too early to be even talking about marriage, but it's the truth. I thought I'd be happy as long as my husband was kind to me, but now that I've met you, things have changed."

Sirius kissed her hard, his arms going around her and pulling her closer to him on the bed. Rochelle could feel the passion in the kiss, and the feelings he was trying to convey. She could barely breathe but that seemed insignificant. She could only feel his warm lips ravaging hers, and his arms pressing her as close to him as she could get. When they both pulled away to breathe there was a fire in Sirius's eyes.

"I'm going to protect you, Rochelle," he promised her heatedly. "I love you and I swear to Merlin I will never let your father take you away from me."

Rochelle's stomach exploded in butterflies, and she could feel the tears threatening to sting her eyes once more. She wanted to live in that moment forever. She wanted Sirius to hold her, and to never let her go as he was promising to do. She lifted a hand, and stroked his cheek gently. "I believe you. And I love you too, more than anything."

"Good," he replied, pressing his lips to hers once more. Rochelle lost herself in his kisses, and for a few moments, everything seemed perfect. She was happy with him, a happiness she'd never felt before. Sirius pressed his lips to her neck eagerly, his hands hovering dangerously close to the zipper on her dress. Rochelle pulled away, smiling.

"Didn't you promise Mrs. Potter no funny business?"

"Shut up. It's not everyday I have a beautiful girl in my bedroom."

"Well, perhaps I'd be a little more willing if your bedroom didn't smell as though something had just died in it."

Sirius laughed.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

When Rochelle got home that evening, not even the sight of her father could dampen her mood. He still didn't say a single word to her. Carmella assured her that her hour-long absence had gone completely unnoticed, and once all the guests had gone home, Rochelle went upstairs to her bedroom.

She lay back in bed, and fell asleep imagining that Sirius's arms were still around her.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

**A/N – Sorry this was short. I just wanted to end it here, because the next scene didn't quite fit in the same chapter. It was a fun chapter to write, because it involved a lot of emotions. I hope you guys enjoyed it too. **

**Let me know what you think! Review! **


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

Christmas had never been so painful. Rochelle had always loved the time of year, but now she wanted nothing more than for it to be over. She was tired of her mother's indifferent attitude and her father's constant absence. It was as though her parents couldn't stand to look at their only daughter. Royce was a little better, but even he wasn't the same lighthearted person that he used to be.

Rochelle did her Christmas shopping with Carmella. She never imagined that her sister-in-law would be the only member of her family whom she could stand. But although Carmella was sweet, her shopping habits were horrifyingly similar to her sisters'. She stopped at almost every single store, and seemed to have an inexhaustible stamina when it came to clothes and shoes.

Christmas shopping for Rochelle's family was easy. Gifts didn't have to be thoughtful, only expensive. She picked up exorbitantly priced things for her parents, her brother, and Lucius. It didn't matter; the money was her father's, and he never minded. There was plenty where it came from.

However, Rochelle found herself stuck when it came to gifts for her friends. She bought Lily a book; it was a collection of wizarding poetry, a rare edition. Rochelle was sure that her friend would appreciate it. Rochelle spent a very long time looking for a gift for Sirius; it was difficult, but she finally found one that was perfect. It was a small model of a boy and a girl sitting on a broomstick together. The little broom was just larger than her palm, and zoomed around whenever she let it go. She managed to charm the couple to look a little more like them, and then she pocketed it. Sirius would probably laugh, but she didn't mind. She'd wanted to give him something personal.

The rest of the Marauders were more difficult. Admittedly, Rochelle didn't know Sirius's friends quite well enough to be obligated to give them Christmas presents, but she wanted to anyway. She bought Remus a book; it wasn't very creative, but she hoped that he wouldn't mind. She got James a Puddlemere United shirt because Sirius had mentioned that he was a fan, and James would probably appreciate _anything_ quidditch-related. Peter was the most difficult. She had no _idea _what to get him, but she figured that since the boy was a little pudgy, he must have a sweet tooth. She bought him a jumbo sized box of chocolates.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

"Did you get anything nice?" Carmella asked Rochelle on Christmas morning. Although Royce and his wife had moved out of the Vittori mansion after their wedding, they were staying there for the duration of Christmas. Rochelle was almost relieved. She couldn't bear the thought of being alone in the house with her parents.

"Yes," Rochelle replied. Lily had given her a handy study planner. She must have remembered that Rochelle was having trouble managing her school work, and the little diary did look rather useful. It was charmed to organize your schedule in the most effective manner, and Rochelle found it was a very thoughtful gift. "I got a lot of nice things," she told Carmella.

Carmella smiled. "Well, what did _he _give you?"

Rochelle blushed. Carmella teased her quite a bit about Sirius, but they'd both agreed not to use his name. After all, being overheard couldn't possibly do anyone any good. "A set of quills. Look; they're beautiful."

Rochelle showed Carmella the set of peacock feather quills that Sirius had sent her. They looked expensive and there were eight of them; each with a different thickness and length, suited to give varied results to your handwriting. Rochelle had fallen in love with them at once.

"It's a wonderful gift," Carmella commented. "He knows you well."

"He does."

"Well, come on down. We should have breakfast."

The rest of the day was very unpleasant for Rochelle. The dining table was silent, and nobody attempted to make conversation as they ate their Christmas meal. Alfred Vittori was summoned by the Ministry halfway through the main course, and he got up and left the house making no apologies. Once he'd gone, the conversation picked up slightly, but it was still strained.

When it was time for Rochelle to return to Hogwarts, she'd never felt more relieved in her life.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

"James said he caught you snogging in Sirius's room," Lily teased her friend. The two of them were sitting in the first Potions class of the new term. Slughorn was yet to arrive, probably hung over from his own Slug Club party. For once in her life, Rochelle had declined his invitation. She wasn't sure why she had been putting herself through the torture of his parties for so many years.

"Well, perhaps Potter should have knocked before he entered Sirius's room," Rochelle replied coolly. Lily smiled at her, rolling her eyes.

"What are you saying? Rochelle, trying to teach James Potter manners is a near-impossible task. I've been trying since forever, haven't I?"

The two girls laughed, but they stopped when Professor Slughorn entered the room. He _did _look a little hung-over, and Rochelle had to stifle her laugh. He approached the front of the classroom. "All right, then? Did everyone have a nice Christmas? I certainly hope you did. Unfortunately, it's time to get back to work. The NEWTS are approaching faster than ever, and it's time we all got serious. Now; I want everyone to partner up. There are those of you who have managed to pass this class simply because you were lucky enough to have a clever Potions partner. That will no longer be possible. I want everyone in pairs, one Slytherin and one Gryffindor each! Come on!"

There were groans around the class. Nobody wanted to be paired with someone from the other house. Lily and Rochelle smiled, staying put in their seats. Professor Slughorn approached them, smiling. "Well, Miss Vittori, Miss Evans. While I understand that you are from separate houses, the purpose of this exercise is to try and get you to work with new people. You never know who you may get as a partner during the NEWTS, and it's important that you learn to get over petty differences. So I'll have to ask you two girls to split up."

Lily smiled politely at Professor Slughorn, and then made a face once he turned his back. Rochelle laughed, and watched as Lily left to quickly find one of the more decent Slytherins to partner up with.

"Well, my lady. Would you do me the honor of being my Potions partner this fine morning?" Sirius Black's confident voice asked from behind her. Rochelle smiled, and turned around.

"That sounds delightful, kind sir. I accept."

Sirius smiled and sat down beside her, putting his bag down. "You know, the last time we worked together the two of us got a T on our potion. Are you willing to risk that?"

Rochelle laughed. "That was my fault. Don't flirt with me, and we'll be fine."

"That may not be as easy as you think."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle was smiling widely as she entered her dormitory later that evening. Potions in the morning had been fun; Sirius had sat there and gazed into her eyes while trying to distract her from her potion by using a number of corny lines. Most of them were awful, and they spent a lot of time giggling, much to the surprise of most of their neighbors. Despite fooling around, they managed to scrape an E by the end of the class.

"An owl has been waiting for you," Gemma commented, as Rochelle dropped her things on her bed. "Hurry up and get it, won't you? It's been tapping at that window for hours, and I'm trying to study."

Surprised, Rochelle opened the window and her mother's owl entered the room. What could her mother possibly have to say on the _day _that she came back to school? Feeling rather apprehensive, she untied the letter from the owls leg, and tore it open. It was a small sheet of paper, and there were barely three or four sentences on it. As Rochelle read them, her face paled.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

**A/N – I know, this one's short too! But I couldn't help it, i just had to leave you on a cliffhanger. Think you can guess what is in the letter? Trust me, it's major drama. I'm looking forward to the next chapter; I've been planning it for a while now. **

**Review! **


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N - Bit of language in this chapter. Just letting you know. **

**Chapter 34**

"What the bloody hell is this?" Rochelle Vittori demanded, her eyes wide in anger. She was standing in a deserted corner of the Slytherin common room, having just rudely dragged Rabastan Lestrange away from his friends. The brown-haired boy stood opposite her, one eyebrow raised.

"Pardon me?"

"Don't act stupid, Rabastan. Why did I just receive a letter from my mother stating that you asked for my hand in marriage and that we're going to be betrothed in a few months?" Rochelle hissed. "Is this true? Why didn't somebody tell me before?"

Rabastan frowned. It was odd; he was usually a very polite, smiling person, but he looked almost as irritated as Rochelle did in that movement. He folded his arms across his chest. "I tried to tell you, remember? But you seem to have a knack for avoiding me."

"That's no bloody excuse! Don't you think I deserved to know that you were about to ask my father for permission to marry me? When did this happen?" Rochelle demanded. She was breathing heavily; her eyes were cold with anger.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes, it matters to me when I'm treated like an _object_ to be traded at my father's will! Bloody hell, Rabastan, I was nice to you because you were Lucius's friend, but what you did crossed the line!" Rochelle snapped harshly.

Rabastan glared. "Would you stop yelling at me? You're not the only one who has problems here, I'm not particularly enjoying the idea of being married to you either!"

"Then why would you approach my father about it?"

Rabastan sighed deeply, running a hand down his face. He looked exasperated and tired. Once he had composed himself, he turned back to look at Rochelle. "Sit down, and let me explain."

"I'm listening."

Rabastan sat opposite Rochelle in an armchair. "My mother came up with the idea of us getting married. She likes you a lot, and I respect her judgment. I'd been fond of you myself, and we'd both always gotten along, so I saw no reason why it shouldn't work."

Rochelle opened her mouth to speak, but Rabastan cut her off.

"No, let me finish. I approached your father over the summer, during your brother's wedding. Mr. Vittori was surprised, and said that he needed time to consider. He wanted to talk to you about it himself. I agreed, and that was the last we ever spoke of it."

Rochelle stared at him, open-mouthed. "This happened in _June_?"

"I tried to tell you. You kept avoiding me, and after a while I gave up. It was obvious that you weren't interested, and I wasn't going to force myself on you."

Rochelle raised an eyebrow. "And you thought that going straight to my parents and asking to marry me wasn't _forcing yourself _on me? Rabastan, I'm going to be honest. This marriage will never happen. I could give you a number of reasons, but the simple fact is that I love somebody else."

He gave her a cold look. "Sirius Black."

Rochelle stared at him. "You _know_?"

"Lucius told me. He thought I deserved to know that the girl I was about to be betrothed to was having an affair with a filthy blood traitor. I wasn't thrilled when I heard, Rochelle. I had no idea that you would do something so utterly stupid and childish."

Rochelle glared at him. "You dare judge my actions-"

"No, don't do that. Don't yell at me. You're not the only one that got an unpleasant shock. The fact that I was ever attracted to you disgusts me now."

There was a pause. Rochelle frowned, and tried to ignore the personal insult. She had to think about this logically. Neither of them wanted to be married, so there was no reason for them to be arguing about it.

"Rabastan, if you're so against this, then tell my father you don't want to marry me anymore," she suggested.

Rabastan raised an eyebrow. "And why should I?"

"Because you suggested it in the first place, genius!"

"I can't do that. My parents would be devastated, and they would demand an explanation. How am I supposed to explain that I suddenly don't want to marry you anymore? I think you've disappointed your family enough, I'm not willing to do the same with mine."

Rochelle raised her eyebrows. "So you'll marry me, a blood traitor, just to keep your parents happy? How does that make any sense at all, Rabastan?"

"It makes sense because the only other option would be to tell my parents about your affair with Sirius Black. You've met my mother. If I tell her something, that's just as good as announcing it to the entire Wizarding world. Your _dirty secret_ will be exposed to everyone."

"Don't you dare call Sirius a dirty secret!"

Rabastan rolled his eyes. "What else am I supposed to call the filthy scum? Rochelle, if you want this engagement broken, it won't be on my hands. You can go tell your father that you don't want it yourself. "

"And you think he'd _listen _to me? In case you haven't noticed, I don't exactly have a lot of credibility with him anymore, that's why I'm in this mess in the first place! Telling him that I don't want this marriage will only make him find some way to force me into it!" Rochelle replied heatedly.

"Well, that's too bad. Perhaps you should have thought about the consequences before,"  
Rabastan replied coolly. "What did you think, that your parents would let their only daughter run off with a boy who is a disgrace to wizards? They're not stupid."

Rochelle gave him a dirty look. "Get out of my sight."

Rabastan stood up slowly, his eyes cold as he watched Rochelle. "He's a traitor. He doesn't know the meaning of the word loyalty, and he'll betray you like he did his family. In the end, you'll come running back, with nowhere left to go."

"I said get out."

"He can't be _trusted. _People like him don't understand what it is to-"

"_Fuck off,_ Lestrange."

He gave her a long, searching look before walking away.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle walked down to the Quiddich pitch later that evening, hoping to see Sirius. The Gryffindor team was practicing, and after a few minutes of scanning the air, she noticed that Sirius was too high up to notice her. She sat down in the empty stands, deciding to wait until practice was over. She needed to talk to him.

"I know you," a voice commented. Rochelle glanced up and saw Debbie, the new Gryffindor Keeper. The girl was short, with messy hair cut like a boy's and a big smile. "You're one of the Slytherin Prefects. You took my brother to the Hospital Wing once, when some other boys were bullying him."

Rochelle blinked. "Oh."

Debbie's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here? You're not spying on our practice, are you?"

"Of course not," Rochelle answered, surprised. "I couldn't even if I wanted to; I don't know the first thing about Quidditch."

"_Really_? Well, you're certainly missing out on a lot. It's a bloody brilliant game," Debbie replied lightly. "So I suppose you're waiting for someone, then? Is it James? You know, if you've got a problem with your Prefect duties, you should really go to the Head Girl, instead. Potter won't bother about you when he's on the Quidditch pitch."

Rochelle shrugged, before noticing that a figure had swooped down onto the ground in front of them. With relief, Rochelle recognized Sirius as he dismounted his broom and walked over to them. Rochelle resisted the urge to run and hug him.

"Vittori?" he asked carefully, glancing at Debbie. Rochelle paused awkwardly, not sure how to explain her presence in front of the Gryffindor Keeper. Sirius, however, noticed her discomfort. "Debbie, what are you doing here? James wants you, he's not happy."

The curious expression on Debbie's face became one of horror. Clearly she couldn't bear the idea of upsetting James, so she hurriedly mounted her broom and flew away. Sirius stepped closer to Rochelle, concerned.

"What are _you_ doing here?" he asked. Rochelle had to admit, he looked good in Quidditch robes. His black hair was messed up, and she had to resist the urge to run her fingers through it and smooth it down. Blinking, she looked up at him.

"I just needed to see you. It's important," she explained softly.

"How important?" Sirius demanded, trying to keep his voice down. "Rochelle, you can't be seen at my Quidditch practice so close to the match with Slytherin. People will ask questions."

"It's a bit late for that."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

"You look rather pale today, dear. Is everything quite all right?" Madame Pomfrey asked Rochelle, when they were both in the Hospital Wing one night. She'd been trying to spend her evenings with the Hogwarts Healer, so that she could get her recommendation letter and experience. Rochelle enjoyed herself, and Madame Pomfrey always appreciated the help.

"I'm fine," Rochelle replied, from where she was arranging the Healing Potions cabinet. She practically knew every single medicine that was kept in the cabinet by heart. "We're running a little low on Peppermint Potions, Madame Pomfrey. It's winter; we'll probably need a little more."

Madame Pomfrey smiled. "Oh, yes… thank you for reminding me, dear. I'll have some more of that brewed up tomorrow. Now, won't you be getting to bed? I think it's just gone past curfew."

Rochelle stood up slowly, looking at the older woman. "But it's a full moon, tonight. I thought you'd appreciate the extra help."

Madame Pomfrey looked surprised. "Well, I'd certainly appreciate help, but not at the cost of your sleep. You've been looking rather pale these few days, and I don't want to tire you further. You have your studies to think about."

"My studies are fine," Rochelle replied, lightly. "I've been finding things much easier since I took some advice and dropped Astronomy and Ancient Runes. I didn't think I needed those subjects to become a Healer, anyway."

"I'm glad that you're so determined, Rochelle. You've got a wonderful attitude, I'm surprised that you're not in Hufflepuff with how hard you work yourself. All right, stay if you'd like."

Rochelle blinked, surprised. She wouldn't have made it a single day in Hufflepuff; she could only work hard for something when she really wanted it, and her social skills were far too atrocious. She remembered how Lucius had always said that Hufflepuff was for those witches and wizards who were too useless to have any talents.

By the time Rochelle finished arranging the medicine cabinet, it was late. Madame Pomfrey had disappeared into her office, after entreating Rochelle one last time to go to bed. Rochelle refused. She didn't want to go back to the Slytherin common room. For some reason she found herself loathing the sight of her fellow housemates. _I shouldn't have been sorted into Slytherin,_ Rochelle thought, irritably. _It was all because of my blood lineage. I would have been much happier in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor._

Rochelle had just started to drift off to sleep on one of the Hospital Wing beds, when the door opened and James Potter walked in, carrying a pale and limping Remus Lupin. He sat him down on a bed, and Rochelle ran to get Madame Pomfrey.

"Get me some of that salve, and the dittany," Madame Pomfrey told Rochelle. "And those fresh bandages from the storeroom. Mr. Lupin, _lie down_."

Rochelle hurried to get what the older woman needed. When she returned with an armful of bandages and bottles, Madame Pomfrey quickly took them. "Rochelle, take the Dittany and help Mr. Potter, won't you? His arms seem to be injured."

Rochelle nodded, helping James rub some of the Dittany onto his arms as he sat down. They were covered in scratches, and he hissed whenever the liquid touched him. "Thanks," he muttered once she was done, smiling gratefully up at her. "You're a lot gentler than Madame Pomfrey. Either that, or she secretly doesn't like me very much."

Rochelle smiled, glancing back at the older woman to see if she'd heard. Madame Pomfrey was too busy fussing over Remus, however. "Thank you," Rochelle replied. She opened her mouth to continue, just as Sirius entered the Hospital Wing. He noticed Rochelle, and walked over to her and James, smiling.

"What are you doing here?" Sirius asked her, surprised.

"Helping Madame Pomfrey," Rochelle answered. She dipped a bit more Dittany onto the cloth in her hands, and started to dab it on a cut on Sirius's forehead. He flinched away, looking surprised.

"What is that? It stings!"

"It's supposed to, genius. Stop acting like a child."

Sirius rolled his eyes, but allowed Rochelle to treat the cut on his forehead. Once she'd finished, she put away the dittany. Madame Pomfrey had given Remus a potion to help him sleep, and she shooed the others students out of the Hospital Wing. James went straight back to his dorms, leaving Sirius and Rochelle alone.

"Can I walk you back to your common room?" Sirius asked her lightly, slipping his hand into hers as they walked down the silent corridor outside the Hospital Wing.

Rochelle shook her head. "I don't want to go there. I'm not sure why, I just… I hate being anywhere near the Slytherin dungeons nowadays."

"Room of Requirement, then?"

"That sounds nice."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

**A/N – I hope this wasn't too clichéd. Rabastan did like Rochelle a lot, but the truth is that he only liked the obedient, pureblood side of her that she projected in front of him. Realizing that she wasn't who he thought left him feeling rather bitter. I tried not to make his reaction too extreme. **

**All right… another two, maybe three chapters and the "Hogwarts" section of this story will be over. I'll be moving on to the First Wizarding War. **

**I need help. Does anyone know what Sirius and James DID during the war? I mean by ways of a profession or a job. For some reason, I always thought that they were Aurors, but it's not stated explicitly anywhere. I did find that James and Lily lived off James's family fortune. Was Sirius the same, or did he have some kind of employment other than the Order? I'm confused. **

**Review!**


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

"You're sure he hasn't bothered you, though? Because if that rotten little bastard tries anything-"

Rochelle interrupted him. "Sirius, no. Believe me; Rabastan doesn't want to talk to me any more than I want to talk to him. I haven't even seen him in the past week; which is obviously intentional because I used to run into him everywhere, before."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "You mean he used to stalk you everywhere."

"Can we stop talking about him? There's nothing I can or want to do about it, all right? Just leave it be. Rabastan is the last thing on my mind."

"Yet you still call him by his first name."

"_Sirius!"_

"Sorry," Sirius apologized, tightening his grip around Rochelle. She was irritated that Sirius couldn't let the issue go. He hadn't reacted well after she told him, and he kept asking if Rabastan had said or done anything. To be honest, Rochelle was willing to forget about the engagement entirely. It wasn't going to happen; not unless her parents dragged her to the altar gagged and tied up. She smiled to herself. _What a scene that would create in public_. No, this wedding would never happen, Rochelle was certain.

"How's Quidditch practice going?" Rochelle asked lightly. She decided to turn the topic to something that would distract Sirius and it worked. His face brightened up.

"Oh, excellently. James came up with these brilliant new plays; they're amazing, and if they work on Slytherin, the match shouldn't even last more than a few minutes!"

Rochelle smiled at his childish excitement. "Oh, really? That good, eh? Tell me more."

"Well, they all start off with Longbottom and Harris flying mid-center and then-" Sirius paused for a moment, leaning back to look Rochelle in the eyes. "Hold on a second. Why should tell you?"

Rochelle frowned. "Why shouldn't you? Because I don't understand Quidditch?"

Sirius grinned cheekily. "No, because you're a _Slytherin, _darling. Why would I tell one of the enemy our strategies? If you think that you can seduce me into revealing all our secrets-"

"_Seduce _you? When did I seduce you, all I did was ask nicely!" Rochelle protested, smiling.

"You gave me that sweet, innocent expression, you only do it when you have an ulterior motive! Believe me, it's just a different type of seduction."

Rochelle smiled at him, before wriggling out of his arms. Sirius looked at her, confused, until she turned around and sat on his lap, straddling his legs. She leaned closer, her breath warm on his cool face. "Sirius, when I'm seducing you... you'll know it."

Rochelle placed her hands on his shoulders, before pressing kisses to the smooth, tanned skin on Sirius's neck and face. Her hands massaged the muscles on his shoulders and arms, and she could feel him relax. Rochelle brought her head back to his face and pulled on his lips with her teeth, while tugging at the buttons on his shirt.

"Where did that come from?" Sirius asked, pulling his head away breathlessly. He looked a little confused, but pleased all the same. "You're not Rochelle. I think you're an imposter, that's pretending to be my girlfriend."

Rochelle rolled her eyes, still tugging at his shirt. "Please. You're not that handsome."

Sirius grinned, his hands slowly sliding up her legs. Rochelle paused for a moment as they slid under her school skirt. It was ticklish, and his hands were cold. She resisted the urge to squirm away, giggling. "Prove that you're Rochelle."

She was trying to to ignore the circles Sirius was tracing with his cool fingers on her thighs. Her blue-grey eyes connected with his, playfully. "All right. Fine. Ask me something that only I would know."

Sirius paused, thinking for a moment. "How's this? On a scale of one to ten, just how sexy is your boyfriend?"

Rochelle laughed. "Sirius Black, only you would ask me a question like that. How is that ever going to tell you whether or not I'm an imposter?"

"It's worth a try. Answer it."

"Well…" Rochelle paused, thinking for a moment as she finished with the buttons on his shirt. Sirius pulled it off impatiently, and she was distracted for a moment as she stared at him, her stomach fluttering pleasantly. Her cheeks flushed slightly red; she'd seen him shirtless on the Quidditch pitch once, but never in such close proximity.

"Answer the question," Sirius pressed, grinning at her sudden discomfort.

Rochelle composed herself quickly. "On a scale on one to ten? Oh, I don't know. He's maybe a six or a seven. I wouldn't worry about him; you're much better-looking."

One of Sirius's arms went around Rochelle's waist as he pulled her closer. "Am I? Well, what's wrong with the poor fellow that you would only rate him a six?"

Rochelle paused thoughtfully, leaning closer so that their lips were inches apart. Sirius could feel her breath on his face. "He has skinny arms."

He laughed, before pulling her closer, and pressing his lips to hers eagerly. "Darling, I'm a Beater. I most certainly do not have skinny arms."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle took a deep breath as she inhaled the fresh air. She'd been cooped inside studying for weeks. All her time seemed to be spent in the library with Lily or in the Room of Requirement with Sirius. She'd given up studying in the Slytherin common room entirely; she either went to the library, or occasionally took her books to an empty classroom to escape the suffocating walls of the Slytherin dungeons.

"James Potter, I cannot believe that you let those third-years get away with letting off Dungbombs in the girls' dormitories! If I'd known that you'd pat them on the back and let them go, I would have handled it myself!" Lily Evans hissed.

James, who was leaning back against a tree with his arms over his head, glanced his irritated girlfriend. "What can I say? I tried to do it myself in second year, but I failed. I couldn't punish them for achieving something I didn't."

"You are impossible," Lily complained, but there was a hint of a smile on her face. Rochelle leaned back on the grass and watched the happy couple bicker. It was almost amusing the kind of changes that they'd both undergone recently. Rochelle could still remember days when Lily would rant about what a rotten toerag James was.

"Potter! Some help over here!" somebody yelled from the Quidditch pitch. James sat up, and kissed Lily on the cheek and then going to help his teammate. Lily watched him leave with a smile, before noticing the amused look Rochelle had on her face.

"What?" Lily asked her friend. "Why are you smiling?"

"Nothing. It's just funny how much people can change in so short a time. You and James are a perfect example of that."

"I suppose," Lily replied, with a shrug. "I've never been so happy before. I mean, yes, he does things that irritate me on purpose, like letting those boys off with the dungbombs-"

"But you don't mind."

"Well, not _really_." Lily paused for a moment, looking at her best friend thoughtfully. "You know, he asked me to marry him the other day."

Rochelle stared at her best friend, unsure that she'd heard her correctly. "What? He asked you to _marry him_?"

"Shh, I don't want the entire Quidditch team knowing!" Lily hissed, and Rochelle quickly quietened down. "And he didn't exactly _ask_ me, it's just… well, we were talking about our future. What would happen after we left Hogwarts, how our lives would be. And he mentioned that with the war and everything… we were scared of losing each other. So we both agreed that we wanted to be married, as soon as possible. I know it's right, and it'll always be him, so why not do it now?"

Rochelle smiled warmly. "Lily, that's wonderful. I know he'll take care of you."

Lily returned the smile. "Me too. We're thinking about doing it a few months after we graduate from Hogwarts. It probably won't be a big event, but you'll come, won't you Rochelle? You'll be my maid of honor?"

Rochelle blinked. "Me?"

"Yes, you! Who else would it be, Petunia?" Lily laughed. "You're my closest friend. And Sirius is obviously going to be James's best man. I can't let him get away with thinking he's the only one who has a best friend that he would trust his life with."

Rochelle felt her throat go a little dry with emotion, but she nodded quickly. "I suppose we can't let Potter win. His head's big enough already, isn't it?"

"It certainly is."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

Rochelle headed back to her dormitory that evening, smiling happily. Lily asking her to be her maid of honor had shocked Rochelle, but at the same time she wondered if she should have expected it. She'd always felt a bit like an outsider among Lily and the Marauders; after all, they were Gryffindors and they knew each other much better than she did. But for once, Rochelle felt like she belonged. She was one of them, no matter her house or her blood.

A figure appeared in front of her, and Rochelle glanced up to see that her path was blocked by Lucius Malfoy. She frowned. They hadn't talked, not since Christmas at her home and that had been months ago. It was odd; not even speaking to a cousin that she had followed around for most of her childhood.

"Rochelle. I haven't seen you in a while." Lucius said coldly. He was pale and looked tired, but that was nothing new. His blue eyes pierced into hers. "How is being a disgrace to our family going for you?"

Rochelle was taken aback. The insult stung slightly, but she didn't let it show. "Reasonably well, thank you. They're not making it very difficult. I suppose you have some stupid, meaningless message that you want to pass on from my parents?"

"If they wanted to send you a message, they would do it themselves. From what I hear, you never replied to their letter about your engagement." he said, folding his arms across his chest.

"I had nothing to say."

"I'm sure you didn't. I hope you're happy, Rochelle. Because for all the trouble you've caused everyone, and for all the pain you've put them through, you'd better have gotten something out of it."

Rochelle sighed. "Lucius, you're my cousin. You've made the wrong choices, but I don't blame you for them. You were forced into a situation you couldn't help. I always admired you as a child. I don't know if I'll see you much after we leave Hogwarts, but if I never do, I'd rather we left on good terms."

Lucius blinked for a few seconds, the surprise evident in his eyes. "You're doing it, then."

"Pardon?"

"You're going to leave your family and go off with the blood traitor. I suppose I knew, but I'd always hoped that you'd change your mind. That when it came to the last moment, you wouldn't be able to leave us all."

Rochelle stared at him. "That won't happen. Perhaps my legal residence is still the Vittori mansion, but I think I left you all a long time ago, Lucius."

Lucius took a deep breath, and nodded. When he spoke, the malicious tone was gone from his voice. "I know. I meant what I said before. I hope you're happy, Rochelle. I really do."

Rochelle smiled at him.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

**A/N – I'm so sorry my updates take so long. I've been really busy lately, and it's almost impossible to find time for anything at all. **

**A reviewer asked if this story was AU. It might be in some very minor ways, but I'm afraid that major plotlines like character deaths will remain canon. I try to stick to the original storyline as much as possible. If anyone notices any deviations, you're welcome to point them out and I'll rectify them if I can. **

**Ultimately, after extensive research and some very helpful reviews, I concluded that James and Sirius did NOT have any known jobs during the war. But I might choose to deviate from canon on that, I'm not sure. It puts a bit of a glitch in my planned storyline. **

**My apologies to a Guest reviewer who thought Rochelle should stand up for herself. I rather thought she was already doing that. She certainly hasn't let herself be used in any way, and to be honest, her character is not really meant to be brave. She's a Slytherin, and while she's not weak, she certainly isn't courageous OR reckless. It would mean changing my OC's character that I've worked so hard to develop. **

**Review! **


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

**(A few months later) **

Rochelle Vittori sat back in the Hogwarts Express, trying to control the tears that were threatening to spill out of her eyes. She felt stupid for feeling so emotional, but she couldn't help it. This was the last time she would ever sit in this train again. The realization was almost devastating. She was on her own, now. Hogwarts had always been that one place where she would always be safe, but that was no longer possible. She was being thrust into the real world, a world she didn't want to enter.

"Tell me you're not crying," Sirius teased, as he pulled his trunk into the compartment, and sat down beside her. He smiled when he saw her eyes were shining. "You big baby. Come here."

Rochelle let Sirius put his arms around her as she tried to blink away the tears. "Sorry, I must look like such an idiot. It's just scary knowing that we won't come back, ever."

Sirius nodded, resting his chin on her head. "I know. I'll miss it here too. I suppose Hogwarts made me who I am."

"A self-obsessed little prick?"

Sirius pulled away, removing his arms from around her and feigning hurt. "Well, just for that, I'm not going to comfort you anymore," he replied, standing up. "Where have the others gone off to?"

Rochelle smiled. "I suppose Lily went back to see if she could convince Professor McGonagall to tell her how she did on her Transfiguration NEWT. I swear, that girl doesn't know the meaning of waiting. We're going to get our results owled to us in a week or so, anyway."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'm certainly not losing any sleep over that. I'll go see if I can spot Peter or Remus in the corridor. Stay put, all right?"

Rochelle nodded, and Sirius pressed his lips lightly to her forehead once before leaving the compartment. Rochelle sat back, and leaned her head on the window.

The past few months had been exhausting, but her NEWTs were finally over. She hadn't done all that well in Charms, but the most important subjects; Potions and Herbology; had gone rather well. Her Defense Against the Dark Arts had never been too strong, but Rochelle thought she could scrape the grade she needed. She smiled to herself, with the relief that the exams were finally over. At least now the results were out of her hands.

A few moments later, Sirius came back into the compartment and smiled at her. "Well, they all found a better compartment at the other end of the train. We could go join them. Or if you want some time alone with me, I'd completely understand. I am excellent company, after all."

Rochelle laughed. "Of course you are."

"Darling, if I wasn't excellent company, you wouldn't have agreed to live with me, would you?"

It was true. After Rochelle had mentioned Lily and James' plans for after they left Hogwarts, they'd had a similar conversation of their own. Sirius had suggested that he was going to buy his own apartment, and that Rochelle should live with him. It hadn't taken much thought for her to agree. Sirius claimed that he honestly didn't care if they got married or not; he was perfectly willing to do it if it made her happy, but he didn't think it would make much of a difference to their relationship. Once they'd fixed things, Sirius had apparated away one Hogsmeade weekend and bought their apartment.

"I think we should make things clear. Just because I'm going to live with you doesn't make me your personal maid. I've seen your room at the Potters, and if you even _think _that I'm going to clean up after you, you're mistaken," Rochelle told him firmly.

Sirius smiled. "Yes, _mother_. I can't wait until you see it. It's wonderful, honestly. A bit small, but it's really cozy. I didn't have time to buy any furniture, though; we'll have to get the basic beds and things today before we go to the flat."

Rochelle's smile dropped. "Today?"

"Of course, today.

"Sirius, I… I thought you knew. I'm going back to the Vittori mansion today."

Sirius stared at her, his grey eyes widening. "_What? _Rochelle, you told me that you were never going back there! You _promised _me!"

Rochelle frowned. She wasn't sure how to explain this to him, how to tell him so that he wouldn't get angry. "Sirius, I'm not going to stay there. I just need to pick up a few things and… and say a few last words, that's all. An hour or two at most."

"Send your elf or someone to pick up your things. You don't need to go there for that."

"Sirius…"

"No, Rochelle, don't _Sirius_ me. What can you possibly have to say to them after all they've done to you? They don't deserve your goodbyes, and I don't want to risk you stepping in that house again," Sirius told her firmly. "I won't let them hurt you."

Rochelle sighed. "Sirius, please understand. I _need _to go there. I need to tell them that I'm leaving, I won't run away like a coward. I want to face them, tell them what I'm doing and make sure that they don't follow me or send someone to find me. I need to make a clean cut, Sirius. They deserve to know why I'm doing this."

"They don't deserve crap," Sirius snapped. He looked down at the seat, and then up at Rochelle's pleading blue-grey eyes. "I'll come with you, then."

"No, you won't."

"Why not?"

"Because I want to walk in there and walk out, you know that won't happen if you're with me! My father will be furious, and there's no knowing what he'll do to you. He'll kill you, and then claim that you threatened him or something. He can't murder his own daughter without facing repercussions, at least."

Sirius gave Rochelle a long, hard look. "I can't change your mind about this."

"No."

"I don't like it."

"I'm sorry. But I won't be satisfied unless I do it."

Sirius sighed. His hands cupped her warm face, and he looked into her blue-grey eyes. "Promise me you'll come back safely. Rochelle, I don't know what I'd do without you."

Rochelle smiled. "That won't happen."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

When Rochelle got off the train with Sirius, she spotted Dipsy the house elf waiting for her immediately. The house elf looked nervous, and the sight of her mistress only seemed to tense her more. Rochelle hugged Lily quickly and shook hands with James, Remus and Peter, knowing she would see them again soon. Sirius had promised to throw a party once they'd fixed up their flat, and James was more than happy to bring the drinks.

"Miss… shall I take your trunk, miss?" Dipsy asked softly, approaching Rochelle. She glanced at Sirius, looking almost terrified at the sight of him.

Rochelle nodded, handing Dipsy her trunk. The house elf shivered as she took it, and Rochelle glanced at the elf warily. "Dipsy? Are you quite all right?"

The house elf nodded, but she was still shaking. "Of course, miss. Dipsy is fine, miss."

"No, Dipsy. Tell me what is wrong. Did someone hurt you? Was it my father?"

Dipsy shook her head quickly, blinking tears out of her eyes. "No, not master, never master… miss, we should go. Dipsy is fine."

Rochelle glanced at the elf warily once more, but then she turned back to Sirius. He was watching the elf impatiently. "Give me a few hours. I'll apparate to the flat directly, all right?"

"_Two _hours, and then I'm coming to get you," he replied.

Rochelle nodded, and kissed him lightly on the lips before taking Dipsy's hand and disapparating.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

When Rochelle arrived at the Vittori mansion, she found herself standing in the front garden. It was beautiful thing; they had a gardner, as well as two elves specifically for the maintenance of the grounds. The only house in all of Britain that could possibly boast of rivaling it was Malfoy Manor. The Malfoys had white peacocks, and although Rochelle had begged as a child that she wanted them too, her father had never been too fond of the birds.

Rochelle paused for a moment, to smell the lavender growing near the front door. It was a smell that brought back nostalgic memories of playing in the gardens with Royce and Lucius. As Rochelle forced herself away from the flowers and stepped up to the front door, a wave of certainty hit her.

This was the last time Rochelle Vittori would _ever_ set foot in her home again.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

**A/N – (Sob). This chapter marks the end of Hogwarts for our beloved Marauders. I hope it wasn't too awful. I can't WAIT to write what's going to happen with Rochelle's parents, and I hope you're just as excited to read it. **

**So... thoughts? Suggestions? If you have any ideas about what you want to happen next, now is the time to tell me because I'll probably be able to incorporate them. Or you can just tell me what you think. This chapter also marks my story crossing 100,000 words! Eep! I honestly have never written a story this long, and it's nowhere near finished! Then again, I do write really long and boring Author's Notes, so... half the word count must be for them. **

**Review! **


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